Nefertiti's Tomb
by QuierdoMusic
Summary: Sequel to There and Back! You don't have to read the whole There and Back- Story, but it would be pretty helpful to read Riley's Past 1 and 2, because it's some kind of an explanation for Riley's childhood. Is somebody still reading this story?
1. Chapter 1

Soo… after the little trip I've written for Riley, Ben and Abi I wondered if you guys would read a sequel… I'm not entire sure…

Well. If I post it, you don't have to read the whole There and Back- Story, but it would be pretty helpful to read Riley's Past 1 and 2

It would explain more about Riley's past and would send Ben and Riley on a dangerous treasure hunt… (With guns =D)

Angst…

Just read the trailer… And let me hear what you think…

To write or not to write… that's the question…

I own nothing… = (

_**Voice (narrator)**_

**Scenes and other things…**

"Talking"

……………………………………………………………………………………

_**TRAILER**_

**Black screen, only Abi's crying voice over the dark:**

"I will miss you two so much."

**Slow-motion scene of a laughing Riley and a laughing Ben in the kitchen of the Gates-Chase mansion****, without tone**

**Black**

_**What to do, when your life**__** changes because of a letter?**_

**Riley staring on a letter, hardly breathing.**

**Black screen, only Riley's hurt voice:**

"Ben, why would anybody write something like that?"

**Pictures of a prison and a little police station**

**Black**

_**What to do, when **__**a devil of your past haunts you?**_

**Silence, still Black**

**Quiet ****heartbeat**

**Than a shout of Ben, the heartbeat getting louder (still black screen):**

"WE DON'T HAVE ANY TREASURE MAPS!"

**Pictures of a bank, a small box and a****n old piece of paper. (New picture with each heartbeat)**

**Black**

**Heart beating**** continues to get louder and louder**

_**What to do when the clues lead you out of your country?**_

**Pictures of an airpo****rt, and a plane (New picture with each heartbeat)**

**Black**

**Increasing ****heartbeat and breathing.**

_**What to do, when everything is going wrong?**_

**Pictures of desert, a broken car and pyramids**** (New picture with each heartbeat)**

**Black**

**Fast heartbeat**

_**What to do when the life of your best friend is**__** in danger?**_

**Different p****ictures of awful looking Ben and Riley, who are walking through the desert, Riley holding his cheek on one of them (New picture with each heartbeat)**

**Black**

**Riley's broken voice:**** (over the heartbeat)**

"Ben, you shouldn't be here."

**Still b****lack an over the getting faster heartbeat an hectic breathing**

**A brief picture of Riley who stands in a dim light and looks very frightened with a heartbeat**

**Black and one heartbeat**

**A picture of Ben's face that is looking up, with one heartbeat**

**Black and one**** heartbeat**

**A picture of a gun, which is pointed at Ben, who is kneeling at the floor ****in the dim light with one heartbeat (the person who is holding the gun isn't seen)**

**Black and one heart beat**

**Than a voice of a man (heartbeat really loud)**

"Okay…one (**heart beat**)… two (**heart beat**)… three (**heart beat**)"

**The sound of a fired gun**

**Breathing and ****heartbeat stop.**

**Silence**

**Quiet crying**

**Silence**

_**What would you do?**_

**NATIONAL TREASURE****- NEFERTITI'S TOMB**

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A trailer like this wouldn't be produced… it's odd… but I wanted to try something… don't hate me =D

By the way… Abi is not so often in the story, I think

Review?


	2. Thanks for moving in

**NEFERTITI'S TOMB**

_Soo… guys… :) I'm back…_

_**Sorry for the delay.**_

_**But I'm working on this story **_;P

**1. Chapter (Thanks for moving in.)**

_**Riley's Perspective**_

"Oh god, I'll miss you two so much! Why can't you just come with me?" Abi, Ben and I were standing in the entrance of the Gates-Chase mansion. Abi, stood beside her big suitcase with tears in her eyes. In the middle of the hall Ben and I had our own suitcases.

"Abi, honey, we'll keep in touch. But you'll miss your plane if you hang out here any longer," soothed Ben, and he gave her a tight hug and a passionate kiss. Then Abi turned to me, ugh, she had tears in her eyes. I hated to see her cry. I waved at her with an unsure smile, but she came up to me, arms wide open.

Then suddenly I had a sobbing German on my chest, Ben was smiling sadly. "Abi, it will only be for three months."

"Ben, please, three months, you could just join me, both of you!" She went over to Ben and firmly gripped his jacket, while he kissed her head.

"Honey, Riley and I would be useless there. I mean, we wouldn't understand anything your relatives are saying, and they wouldn't understand us. You were so looking forward to see your parents and your siblings again," he said and caressed her cheek, I would swear that I could see his eyes tear up.

"Can I really leave you both alone? I mean, on our trip two weeks ago in Las Vegas, you nearly killed each other." Ugh, she really had to recall those memories.

"First of all, Las Vegas was four weeks ago and you know Riley and I weren't fighting since than. Not truly. And I don't think we will fight, we can go out of each others ways here in the mansion."

"By the way, thanks for moving in Riley." Abi waved at me and gave me a smile.

"It's okay. You know, Ben can't be alone." I teased, looking at Ben who made a face.

"I know. I love you guys, I'll miss you two, please promise not to go on another treasure hunt without me?" she asked while gripping her suitcase.

"We promise." Ben and I said in unison.

"I think I'll call Patrick. He should keep an eye on you, both eyes!" Abi thought loud.

"Abi, we are both grown men. We can take care of us ourselves." Ben assured her.

"You two guys aren't able to pitch a tent." Abi stated, like this was the most obvious reason for being helpless.

"Abi, we have a house here! If we slept in a tent we would be really stupid." Ben shook his head. Dammit, this woman could get on somebody's nerves.

"I just wanted to say, that you _so-called _grown ups would have slept in the grass without me."

"We would have slept in the car, Abi! You know, we can survive without you!" I said, hoping that it wasn't insulting.

She looked at me, than at Ben, back to me and her eyes remained at Ben "I'll call Patrick and maybe Peter too?" I frowned and saw that Ben hit his forehead with his hand. "Abigail, why do you want to call an FBI agent?" Ben asked and ran a hand through his hair.

I knew that they were just acting casually so the farewell would feel easy.

"I don't know, to make sure that you two are not planning anything stupid? I have a bad feeling about abandoning you two." Abi loves exaggerating things.

"You aren't abandoning us; you're just visiting your parents. And you know as well I as do that Peter never could keep us from something stupid!" Ben laid an arm around her shoulder and led her out of the house. I followed after.

"Well… all right…" Abi looked up at Ben, tears in her eyes. "See you in three month."

"Yeah." Ben whispered, biting his lip, before kissing her again. "I love you."

…………………………………..

After we finally had Abby's suitcase in the taxi and said our last goodbyes, Ben and I found ourselves at the kitchen table with Abi's amazing Lasagna. "You know, we could have really had a cool trip to Germany!" I said, poking a fork into the food.

"Don't be silly! I have lectures and you wouldn't be happy in Germany, with the food, or with the language, because you wouldn't understand a word."

I gave him a face: "Dear Ben, you would?" I teased, knowing that Ben tried to learn a little bit of German, but sucked.

"No, I wouldn't Riley," he murmured, than he looked at me with a smile: "Could it be that you are a little vacation addicted, we just had a trip." To be perfectly honest I felt very guilty that Abi has to go alone. I looked at Ben with a teasing smile on my lips: "So you're not going to miss Abi, are you?"

"I will, I'll miss her so much. _Three months_, this will be the longest time in my entire life. But her sister needs her to look after Stella and Abi loved the idea of being the godmother." Stella was Abigail's one year old nice, who wasn't baptized yet and Abi's sister went still to university. Because the father and Stella a job to make ends meet, they weren't able anymore to look after the toddler. So Abi's sister needed someone to look after her daughter for in three months until she finished university. Then Abi could come back.

"Are you Stella's godfather? I mean, Abby and you are almost married and theoretically, is she the god_mother_ and you the god_father, _as soon you two are married?" I asked Ben and was surprised to see him laugh about my question. "What?" I asked, looking at him questioningly.

"Sometimes I get the feeling you'll always be a kid!" Ben took my and his dishes and on the way to the kitchen, he ruffled my hair. I stared after him when he left the room and screamed: "What's that supposed to mean? I have asked a simple question!" Sometimes this person could be annoyingly strange.

When I received no response, I followed Ben in the kitchen and sat down at the table. Ben smiled at me and handed me an ice cream, which I took with delight.

"I just think that you'll never change some things." Ben began to eat his own dessert and sat down beside me.

"Is that good or bad?" I asked, unsure.

"What do you think?" He nudged me in the shoulder, telling me the answer with his smile.

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The next chapter will be a Flash-back chapter.

See you soon… hopefully ;)

Reviews???


	3. Charlotte is huge

Huchh…

I've forgotten to copy this into the chapter…

Sorry :) to everyone who reviewed the trailer.

_**Ducky'sgirl4ever**__**, **_I hope you will enjoy the story. Thanks for reviewing.

_**marinawings**__**, **__Thanks so much for reviewing. _I'm glad you liked my other stories.

_**Miss Fenway**____Thanks so much for reviewing._

_**daisyduke80**____Well it's not soon, but I've updated._

_**Welsh Angel**__**…**__Thanks so much, I'm glad you liked the trailer._

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_**marinawings**__**,**__ so, thanks again :) I'm glad you liked it._

_**nawndawn**__**,**__ I'm glad you liked it, thanks for reviewing._

_**SN=love,**__ thanks so much…I'm glad you liked it._

_**To the story..**__. __**Have fun :)**_

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**2. Chapter (Charlotte is huge)**

**FLASHBACK**

_**Ben's Perspective**_

"Ben, if we find Charlotte, will we find the treasure, I mean for sure?" I knew Riley for exactly one month, even Shaw was used to him already. Ian didn't like him, but Riley didn't adore Ian either, so it wasn't really a big problem.

"Do you ever stop asking questions?" Ian asked, who was staring at the newly opened page on the Internet. He shot Riley a mad look, he was annoyed that Riley was talking all the time. Riles didn't stop though.

"After the Charlotte there will be a million other silly clues! It's not even positive we'll find it because the treasure can be already found than."

Ian continued his eyes fixed on the screen.

"I think it would be cool to find the treasure before I turn eighteen, then I would throw a big party, and invite all my friends and would get my drivers license." Riley smiled a bright smile at me and I smiled back. But my smile vanished when Ian answered: "Riley, grow up, you are living a stupid dream world. First of all you turn eighteen in a couple of weeks and we won't find the treasure in such a short time. And if you throw a party, WHICH friends would you invite, some from your childhood?" he sneered.

Riley didn't know how to answer; he just sat there looking at his hands. So I responded in a harsh tone, but with an encouraging arm over the boys shoulders: "You know, Ian, _I_ would go to his party; I would prefer his to yours!" Than I added with a soft voice to Riley: "We'll have a party, with or without treasure!"

"Yeah, what an idea, a party for two guys, that's more a date, isn't it? Or would you like to invite some of your attendants or guys from the orphanage?" This comment from Ian made Riley storm out of the room. I watched him leave and waited until he couldn't hear me anymore, then I stood up and turned Ian around, so that he had to face me and not the computer. "Why are you such an asshole? Why can't you just be nice to that boy? He's never done anything to you, at least leave him alone!"

"Calm down, it was just a joke." Ian defended himself.

"He didn't take it as a joke, did he?" I shouted at him and the said quietly: "And stop talking about his attendants, he's happy not to think about them! You better stop teasing him about his past, or…"

"What? Or what, Ben?" Ian stood in the front of me, fists balled.

"Hey, you guys, I found something." Shaw interrupted our fight, and pointed at the screen. Immediately we were looked at it.

"Do you really think it's this simple, I mean, a _city?_" Ian asked frowning.

"Simple? Charlotte is huge." Shaw was still starring at the screen, reading through the article. He was right Charlotte was the biggest city in North Carolina. "Charlotte's nickname is Queen City. Do you think the name is a hint?" Shaw continued, and Ian responded, but I didn't hear it anymore, because I took the chance to talk to Riley, while they were debating about an impossible solution.

……………………..

_Knock, knock_

"Come in Ben!" I heard Riley's voice from behind the door after I knocked and when I entered the room, he added: "Why are you knocking? Not even Shaw or Ian knock! It's our room and no cow knocks on her own cowshed!" Riley and I shared one room, Ian and Shaw the other room.

I laughed at his comment: "Cow? What are you talking about?" but when I saw his face I became serious again: "Is everything okay?" I sat down beside him and looked at him with concern.

"Yeah, everything is fine." He answered and put my Laptop on his lap. He didn't even get to turn it on, because I took it back and put it on the table, so he had to look me in the eyes and talk to me. His eyes were sad and he had a hurt expression on his face, I didn't even have to ask the question, he knew exactly what I was going to ask. "Ian is right." His voice was trembling. "I have no friends."

"You don't?" I was surprised. No, I was stunned.

"No, I don't! Nobody would come to a party if I had one," he whispered, gazing at the closed laptop.

"Hello?" I winked. I waved a hand in front of his face. Either he didn't want to get what I was trying to tell him or he really didn't get it, because he just glanced at me with a confused look.

"Am I nobody?" I asked and gestured wildly with my arms to get his full attention.

"Ben, you know what I mean, I have no real friends. We're working together, we're team mates," he murmured in his hands, which were on his face now.

"Thanks Riley!" I pretended to be grateful for his words. Then I added with a hand on his shoulder, when I felt that he was seriously listening: "You know, I don't see you as a team mate. You wouldn't work with me anymore, if you weren't my friend." I chuckled and got finally his entire attention.

"You would fire me?" he asked and for the first time since I met him, I saw this horrible fear in his eyes, the possibility I could abandon him.

"No, but I couldn't pay you. I thought you saw me as your friend too, because if I were you I would ask for pay. I just give you a bed and food." This comment finally broke the ice.

"Right, but the things I'm eating in one week is worth the salary for a month, sometimes." He joked before he gave me a sheepish smile. Then he whispered: "You really see me as a friend?"

It made me sad that it was this was so unbelievable for him. "Yeah, to be perfectly honest, I see you as my best friend, I mean I'm really happy that I've asked you to join us."

"Thank you, Ben, that means a lot to me, and I would say, that I see you as my best friend, too, but that would be pretty cheesy, so I don't say it, even though it's true." He was red like a tomato, after he confessed this. I gave him a brief smile, pattered his shoulder and stood up.

"So, take this as a promise, we'll celebrate your birthday when you turn eighteen. It doesn't really matter if it is only us. Then we'll just make it a movie night or something like that, without Ian and Shaw. Speaking of them, I have to see if they're still both alive, they're fighting about whether Charlotte is a city or not, I think that's crap."

"Good luck with them, I don't want to get involved with that, because they'll both pick on me." Riley took the Laptop again and laid down on his bed.

**END FLASHBACK**

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_**This was just a Flashback… I hope you liked it.**_

_**Reviews? **_


	4. Nothing to bite

**Hey guys….**

**Thanks so much to** _**marinawings**_, **who is reviewing every chapter… I'm so glad that you like the story.**

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**3. Chapter (Nothing to bite)**

_**Normal Perspective**_

"Beeeeeeen, answer the door, the bell's annoying! I'm talking to Sophi!" Riley screamed from his room. He and his friend lived together in the same house for three days now. Riley was on the phone with his German friend for nearly four hours.

It wasn't necessary to shout through the house because Ben was already at the door, and when he opened it he wasn't really surprised to see his dad's face.

"Hey son!" Patrick cheered and hugged Ben tight. "Have you already killed the little one, or is he here somewhere?" He let his son go and looked around the house.

"Riley, dad's here, so move that behind of yours downstairs! You can chat to your girlfriend later." Ben ordered so that Riley would hear him.

After a few moments Riley appeared on the bottom of the stairs and hissed at Ben: "She isn't my girlfriend, yet!" Then his face changed, a bright smile on his face when he saw Patrick

"Hey Pat, how are you?"

"Ugh, I've been better, how are you, kiddo?" Patrick made his way to the youngest of the three men and embraced him. Riley returned the hug.

"I'm fine. What's up?" Riley asked, when he pulled out of the hug. Both of the 'sons' were interested what was wrong with Patrick.

Now Patrick faced his biological son. "Your mom renovated our living room."

"Ugh!" Riley and Ben said in unison. Then Ben added, suppressing a chuckle: "Oh, I'm so sorry, dad. Can I do anything for you?" Patrick shot his son a look that could kill, before the three guys make themselves comfortable on the couches.

"We just decided which curtains to use, but she announced that we'll soon discuss the "carpet-problem". She nearly submitted our divorce papers when I suggested green curtains, but she'll probably kill me when I suggest the wrong color for our new _carpet._" Ben's dad whined.

"I'm suffering for you." Ben acted serious, but he soon joined Riley laughing.

"That's NOT amusing, it's terrible, your mom is obsessed." Patrick shook his head violently, while Riley and Ben were still giggling.

"But, you two aren't much better with renovating." Patrick grumbled, which made the two others only laugh louder. It was true; they could be fanatics like Emily.

The three men were interrupted by the telephone.

"Gates?" Ben said in the mouthpiece, both the older Gates and the young nerd could assume who was on the other end, when Ben smiled an evil smile at his father. "It's for you, dad." Patrick let out a deep sigh, before he talked with his wife: "Yeah… but…. I… no… sweetheart…no…_no_… NO... okay… Bye, love you, too." Both younger men exchanged knowing looks with smiles; nobody was able to stand up against that woman, not even her own husband.

"I have to go, my lovely wife needs fabric examples, because it's not only important what color a doormat has, _no_, it's essential to find the perfect tiling for the floor." Patrick Gates said, while hugged the other men goodbye. Then he grabbed his jacket and finally winked one last time and left the house. Ben and Riley waited till Patrick was out of hearing range, before they started laughing, clutching their bellies.

"I think he's a little bit annoyed." Riley laughed, laying down on the couch.

"I don't want to be him, right now, my mom is scary when she gets this ticked, that's why you never got to know her. I would have been worried the whole time that she would have gone crazy with you."

"Did 'ya think?" Riley chuckled "Now she loves me." Ben smiled at him warmly and ruffled Riley's hair. "I didn't think that she wouldn't, but you know mom, she always knows when something isn't right and she always want to _make_ things right. So she would have gone crazy trying to fix your chaotic life."

"That's for sure!" Riley laughed, taking a soda.

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_**Riley's Perspective**_

_I definitely would be a bad father; I can't even keep my cactus alive. I'm pretty sure that my poor, old, expensive bonsai is dead right now, but my beloved cactus was always a fighter, now he's dead, too,_I thought when I stood in front of my fading plants. I intended to go my apartment every three days to get my mail and to, well, water my plants, but now that wasn't a problem anymore.

Before I head back to my car I emptied my mailbox, not looking at the envelopes, not knowing that one of them would change my life.

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Again at Ben's home he greeted me with my least favorite meal, mashed potatoes with spinach. I mean _hello?_ You have absolutely _nothing _to bite. "Ben, I really beginning to miss Abi's food, although she cooks only healthy things. Her stuff tastes good, your things… don't," I complained, glancing at Ben, hoping he would not be mad. He obviously wasn't because he smiled.

"Why don't you cook, you can begin tomorrow, if you don't like what I make." Ben suggested, taking my plate and his plate and walked to the kitchen, I followed with the other dishes and answered: "I would order some Chinese, I don't even know how to boil water."

"True!" He smirked and faced me again: "Okay, I have to clean up a little bit, before we suffocate under all that trash. Do you mind helping me?"

"Yeah, I would mind." I teased, and went to my room, without letting him list all the advantages of cleaning up.

On the way to my room, I saw my mail which I have thrown at the desk in the entrance hall. In my room, I took a closer look at them. _Invoice, invoice, advertising, invoice, ugh, what's that?_ There was a smaller envelope between the others; it had no sender on it, only my name and my address. Curious I sat down on the bed, and opened this envelope. You never know, it could be a love letter from a secret admirer.

But the letter was not handwritten, not with some cute hearts or watered with a sweet perfume, like I expected, but it was written with a computer.

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**Reviews, please? **

**In the next chapter the story will really begin ;) All angsty and so on…**


	5. Pancakes would be great

**Yeahh… two reviews. **

**Sorry for the ****delay****.**

_**marinawings**__**, **__Huge thanks to you, for reviewing again. I'm glad that you liked the las chapter._

_**Superotter**__**, **__I love the friendship between Riley and Ben… Nah… find it out, who wrote :D… Thanks for reviewing._

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**4. Chapter (Pancakes would be great)**

_**Riley's Perspective**_

**Hello Poole**

**I won't ask how you are; I'm not interested.**

**I guess you have no clue who I am, but it's not important. ****Not to me.**

**So I've got a question: Do you really not know where your father is, or does he know where you are?**

**He claimed that he didn't even know about the treasure until his last second. It would be a pity if it wasn't a lie. Then his breakout and his death would be totally in vain…**

The entire letter since the 'Hello Poole', I had a feeling something was wrong. When I read the word 'father' my breathing became heavy. Now it had stopped. What was the writer talking about? I didn't dare read any further. At least I couldn't, because my eyes watered. All the memories came back, and now somebody was talking about my father's death.

Something happened. I had an odd feeling of getting sick to stomach; my whole body trembled. My father couldn't have died, because for me, he wasn't even alive.

"Ben!" I kept myself upright on the doorframe; my voice trembled under the emotions and sounded pathetic.

"What? Oh god, Ri!" Ben hung the cloth he was using to clean up on a radiator, and headed to me. "Doyou feel all right?" I just shook my head, unable to talk and fell to the ground, after pressing the letter into one of his hands. I felt him kneel down next to me.

"Ri, would you please calm down? _Please?_" He asked, stroking my back and caressed my hair, concern in his soothing voice. I hadn't realized I was breathing heavily. Burying my face in my hands. I took a deep breath though, although it sounded like a sob. Ben just waited for me to calm down a little, holding my arms in his hands with a firm grip.

"So what is it?" He asked, after I had successfully struggled myself out of the hold. I leaned against the wall, eyes closed, my breathing was still irregular but I wasn't crying. I pointed to the letter in his hand. I saw him read it out of the corner of my eye. I didn't know what part he read, what made him lay a hand on my shoulder. Probably the part that mentioned that my father was dead?

"I don't believe it!" Ben whispered and surprised me with standing up and hauling me to my feet.

"Ben, why would anybody write something like that?" I asked, running a trembling hand through my hair.

"I'll call Sadusky!" Ben insisted and went to the telephone as I followed him into the kitchen. I sat down at the kitchen table, feeling exhausted and weak. Could it really be that my father was _killed_?

I was only half listening to the questions Ben was asking and the responses he was giving Peter.

"_So his breakout and his death would be totally vain," _I thought and felt tears in my eyes.

"Riley." Suddenly Ben was standing in front of me, both arms on both of my shoulders. "I'm sorry, Sadusky said, that he isn't able to get the information from New York, it isn't his area."

"Okay, so I will never get to know whether my last living relative is alive or not." I whispered.

"Let's go to the prison." Ben stated and nearly dragged me out of the kitchen.

"Ben… what? Which, why?" I asked, but walked with him out of the house to the car.

"Did you read the entire letter?" He asked, his voice soft.

"No." I admitted buckling my seatbelt with a trembling hand.

"At the end the writer said we should visit the prison in New York, where your father was arrested to get further information, or at least to make sure, that he didn't lie." Ben started the car and began to drive. I wondered why we had to go there and couldn't just call them.

A special ability of Ben, was that he could always tell what was on my mind. "I'm really sorry kid, but we have to do that, I wish I could spare you from this." He massaged my shoulder, I hated the guilt in his voice. He was the last person who should feel guilt.

I nodded and leaned my forehead against the cold window, trying to fall asleep.

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**FLASHBACK**

_**Riley's Perspective**_

"Happy birthday, Riley!" I heard someone cheer happily and felt a weight on my bed sit down next to me, and ahand on my arm. I stretched and smiled at Ben's cheerful face. "What about some breakfast? I made pancakes" Ben asked and hauled me to my feet.

"Pancakes would be great." I said walking into the kitchen with Ben. I yawned and rubbed my eyes, sitting down in my seat.

"Good morning beauties. Happy birthday, little one!" Shaw ruffled my hair, smiling and sat down opposite of me. "Thanks!" I returned a smile. Sometimes it was really hard to tell whether we got along or not. Ben chuckled and sat down on my other side.

Then a man I didn't get along with entered the room. "Congratulations you turned 18, to be honest; I didn't think you would achieve that. If was your attendant I would have killed you long before." I ignored simply ignored Ian. Of course he had to remember me on my past.

"Shut up Ian!" Ben punched Ian's head lightly to emphasize his point. Ian took a pancake and laughed.

_Ring, ring…_

"I'll get the door," Ben told us and made his way through the small apartment.

"So, Riley, is the big party already planned?" Ian asked maliciously, knowing that I would have nobody to invite. Every time Ben wasn't there, he Ian would make these kinds of comments.

"Riley!" Ben appeared at the doorframe and something in his eyes made me worry. I realized that he was trying to keep his face completely clear of any emotions and that wasn't a good sign. He came over to me and hauled me to my feet, a tight but gentle grip on my arm. "What is it?" I asked.

"Have you done something?" he whispered in my ear, so that neither Ian nor Shaw could hear us, who were staring at us with confused looks.

"What would I have done?" He led me to the door, without another word.

"Ben, please, you're scaring me!" I pleaded for an answer, when I saw that he was biting his lip nervously. That was something a Ben Gates would never do. But then I saw what was up. Outside of the little apartment was a policeman. I gulped.I hadn't done anything. I had not even hacked into something important. Only in the library, because I forgot to return a book.

"Are you Riley Poole?" The cop had a serious face. I nodded as an answer.

"Can we talk alone?" The policeman asked. I reached for Ben's arm so he knew that I wanted him to stay.

**END FLASHBACK**

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**Oka****y… reviews please?... Really… **


	6. Not much

_**Superotter**__**, **_Hey, thanks for reviewing again. I'm glad you liked the last chapter… I guess there'll be more Flashbacks…

_**marinawings**__**,**_ :) Thanks for the encouraging words. You're great.

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**5. Chapter (Not much.)**

_**Ben's Perspective**_

Riley clenched his fists, his eyelids fluttering. He jerked awake after I had touched his arm. "Easy, kid!" I had one arm on his shoulder and the other on the wheel. "Are you… okay?"

"No, of course I'm not okay!" He answered honestly in a genuine sad tone. "I hate having nightmares!" he whispered. I squeezed his shoulder lightly. I would give anything to take his pain away.

"What about?" I asked concerned.

"My eighteenth birthday." He answered and this was all he needed to say, because I would never forget this day.

**FLASHBACK**

_**Ben's Perspective**_

"Everything you tell me, I'll tell Ben." Riley told the officer in a small voice. I really had no clue why an officer was standing in our apartment. I mean, Riley was able to hack anything and he was in a tough area in New York, but was he really able to commit a crime?

"You trust him?" The agent asked with a nod to me.

"Yeah, I do." I felt pride at his honest answer.

"Do you know anything about your parents?" I took Riley's arm and felt him trembling, all he knew about his parents was what he learned from the orphanage. It wasn't much. His only information was that his mother was dead and his father was in prison.

"Not much." He confessed.

"We just found out, that Cleopatra Yussech and Andre Poole had a son. The orphanage you used to live in told us that you moved out." The officer paused. His and my eyes locked for a brief moment. Expecting something tragic, I pulled Riley in a one arm hug and felt that he was trembling.

The officer went on. "Mr. Grass informed us that you don't know the reason for your mother's death." Riley's legs seemed to give in and I was dragging more of his weight than he was.

"No he doesn't know." I answered instead of Riley, rubbing soothing circles in his back.

"Well, then do you know why your father's in jail?" I closed my eyes and hugged Riley tighter.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." The boy began to whisper, again and again and shook his head. I was entirely sure that he wasn't standing on his own legs anymore, so I pulled him in a real embrace, letting him bury his head into my shoulder. The officer looked at the boy, apology in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I take it you don't want to see your father." The officer stated. Riley shook his head lightly.

The officer was obviously not used to this kind of job. He was standing in the entrance and just watched the scene, till he said, "I'm really sorry, here is my number, if there's any problem." The man gave a card to me, said his last goodbye and left.

I was still hugging Riley when Ian and Shaw appeared behind Riley, looking surprised. "What happened?" Shaw asked, putting a hand on Riley's shoulder. Shaw surprised me, he was Ian's best friend and usually he didn't show affection to Riley. But when he realized that the boy was hurting, he was there for him.

When I shook my head, they nodded understandingly and Shaw patted the boys back lightly, and turned to go but waited when Ian didn't move. I nearly smiled, when Ian bit his lip, before he patted Riley's upper arm, an awkward look on his face. From the doorframe Ian told me, not taking his eyes away from the boy in my arms: "We'll be back in the evening." I was pretty thankful that they didn't ask further questions.

How could somebody hurt a boy like this?

"I'll be in my room." Riley whispered after some time, breaking out of my hug and went away.

**END FLASBACK**

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_**Ben's Perspective**_

Riley was still awake but silent when we arrived at the prison. "Will you make it?" I asked in concern, after I have opened his door. He shook his head and stood next to me. I could see that he was scared. But I didn't understand it, because after all his father had done he should not be this upset, when his father wasn't alive anymore. But I never knew what it felt like to loose one of my parents.

Probably it wasn't his father he was thinking about; it was probably his past, his mother.

Riley was walking so close to me that our shoulders were touching. I was happy about that so I could at least try to support him if he needed it.

"Can I help you?" A guard asked, blocking our way, when we tried to get in.

"Actually yes, we're related to one of the prisoners." I wasn't really sure, whether it was a good decision to lie to a guard who had at least several weapons.

"Would you mind coming back at visiting time?" He snapped. Good grief, what have I said that he needed to be this unfriendly.

"Yes, I would mind because we don't want to _visit_ someone, we just want information." I answered in a harsh voice. Riley looked indifferently at a wall. He scared me with his emotionless face.

"I can't just let people in." The annoying man waved at us to go away.

"But we need some information." I shouted, but when the watchman raised his hand to his jacket where his gun was supposed to be, Riley took my sleeve and whispered: "Ben, come on, let's go."

I glanced at the guard for a brief moment, shooting him a death glare. "Okay, let's go!" I whispered to Riley, putting an arm around his shoulder.

……………

Riley was sitting in passenger site, legs dangling out of the car, his head in his hands. I stood in front of him, a comforting hand on his shoulder, thinking about what we should do. It was raining, but I didn't mind getting wet. I hoped it would wash away the unpleasant feelings. It didn't.

"Let's go to the police station." I stated and earned a hurt look from Riley. I knew that it wasn't exactly fun for him to be confronted with all this. But he nodded and turned around to sit down in the car again.

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**Review****please****. **


	7. How can I help you

_**Hey guys…**__** here is the next chapter.**_

_**Superotter**__**, **_Thanks for your great review. I'm really glad that you like the story.

_**marinawings**__**, **_Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy the story further.

_**Kaywells**__**, **_Yeah… who wouldn't love Riley… :D Thanks so much for your encouraging words.

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**6. Chapter (How can I help you?)**

_**Ben's Perspective**_

The ride to the police station was quiet. Not one word was spoken and that indicated Riley wasn't behaving like Riley anymore. We hadn't even turned on the radio, so it was a _real_ quiet ride.

After we entered the police station, a very polite officer greeted us and offered us a seat.

"So, why are you here?" he asked in a friendly voice. Riley, who was sitting next to me, didn't move, so I guessed he wasn't going to give an answer.

"We hope you can help us. My name is Benjamin Gates and this is Riley Poole." I introduced us.

"The Benjamin Gates?" The officer asked with an amazed tone. I just nodded, not wanting to talk about something irrelevant.

"How can I help you?" Now he looked really professional.

"We just received a letter." I began, giving the officer the paper. "This letter." I added, watching Riley out of the corners of my eyes.

"Mhm… mhm… Poole...Poole…I've heard that name." The officer murmured and begun to search for something on his computer, frowning. I put an arm on Riley's shoulder, who seemed lost in thought and he held his gaze on the floor, obviously suppressing his tears. "Hey, kid." I rubbed his back.

"Here!" The officer looked at us curiously. "I have to ask you, whether you're related to Andre Poole?"

"Riley is the son and I'm… well, I'm the best friend of Riley." Would he throw me out?

"I'm sorry that I'm not allowed to give this kind of information to not-related people." I felt Riley jerk when he heard that he had to go through this alone.

"Please officer..." I started

"Gramp" He filled the gap.

"Please officer Gramp, just one time, I…" I begged helplessly.

"Well, okay!" He sighed with a sympathetic gaze on Riley. "I'm sorry to tell you that the letter tells the truth." Riley tensed at his words, letting his head fall in his hands, but officer Gramp went on: "Andre Poole was recently kidnapped from prison by an unknown culprit, we just found his body, after the murderer wrote instructions to us on where to find it." Riley was shaking under my hand. There was an awkward silence, all eyes on Riley. "Do you have any clues, who it was and why he killed Riley's father?" The officer asked me in a whisper.

"In the letter the treasure is mentioned, but I have really no idea who it could be." I answered in a small voice.

"Do you have any… enemies?" He hesitated to ask this question.

"Probably, I mean…" Than a thought hit me. "Is Ian Howe still in jail?" I could image that he would love to hurt Riley, but not this badly.

"Ian _Who_?" The officer was taken aback.

"_Howe_. He was on our first treasure hunt, but he was put in jail because of theft and some other things, a long story short, he's not our friend anymore." This was a genuine understatement.

"Hm…" The officer took his telephone the began to dial a number. "Officer Gramp, here. I have a question… New York… Well, do you know, whether an Ian Howe is being held there? Okay…. Yes… Thank you... I'll send an e-mail." He hung up and looked at me.

"So, I don't know, whether it is good or a bad new, but Ian Howe is still in prison, with all his accomplices." The police officer told us. "I'm very sorry, that I couldn't help, but I will send an e-mail to the Washington police headquarters and with their help we'll try and catch the murderer." He stood up.

I took Riley's elbow in my one hand and helped him stand up. The poor boy seemed so weak, so exhausted,… so young. "Thanks though." I smiled a sad smile to the officer and earned a similar smile from him.

Outside of the police station, it was still raining and I was still half-dragging Riley to the car. He looked like he had a bad cold, he was hugging himself and shivered violently, his face was pale and his eyes bloodshot. "Riley?" I stopped and lifted his chin with one of my hands. He was avoided my eyes.

"Please, just look at me." I wanted to read his face. Riley was somebody who was brilliant at hiding his feelings from other people, but when he looked straight in my eyes I learned to read him.

"Riley, please! You don't have to talk, just give me one look." I ordered gently.

Instead of looking at me, he simply turned around and went to the car. I run a trembling hand through my hair and felt tears in my eyes. _No, _I had to control my feelings_, but how was I able to fix this? How could I help him? How could I sooth all the pain from the stirred up events and the recent happenings?_

Riley was sitting in the car, when I reached it. He really looked like a zombie. It seemed like he was having a staring contest with the windshield wiper, which had stopped in the middle of the window.

I gripped the wheel hard and started the van.

The boy was driving me crazy, just sitting there and not showing any emotions. Eventually he fell asleep. I became lost in my ownthoughts, and continued to drive silently.

………………..

"No…no…" Riley's eyes were squeezed shut, he was violently jerking in his sleep. I immediately turned off the street, got out of the car and went to the passenger side. After I opened the door, I squatted down at the edge of the doorframe and took one of his hands in mine. "Riley wake up!" I ordered and patted his hand.

He jerked awake and looked at me with a surprised and scared look. But he turned his eyes away again. I squeezed his hand one last time and we drove further, not talking about his nightmare.

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	8. It's not fair

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_**marinawings**_, Thanks so much, it's so good to hear that. Thanks__

_**daisyduke80**_, thanks I'm glad you like it.

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**7. Chapter (It's not fair!)**

_**Ben' Perspective**_

"Riley!" I sat next to him and laid an arm around his shoulder. He sat on the coach in our living room, hugging himself. He hadn't moved since we came home and that was several hours ago. Riley looked like of the edge of a breaking down and I couldn't stand the sight any longer.

"He's dead. He was killed. I didn't even know he was still alive." He whispered, shrugging my hand off, not looking at me.

"I know how you feel. You…" I said without thinking, and I was interrupted when Riley jumped up and shouted at me with furious eyes, "Don't say that! You have _no_ idea how I feel! You have absolutely no idea how it feels, when your father kills your mother, you have no idea how it feels, when your father's in jail, you have no idea when your father is killed _because of you! _You have absolutely NO idea, you with your perfect family. Just leave me alone!"

He stormed out of the room, and up the stairs. I looked after him, not really knowing what to do. I had no idea how I could help him through this.

_Dad_, I thought. _He'll know what to do._ Before I called my dad, I tried to calm down a little bit. I didn't want to worry him.

_Answer the phone… dad, please… answer the phone…_ I pleaded in my thoughts. It was nearly midnight; my dad was probably fast asleep.

"Gates." A tired voice answered on the other end of the line.

"Dad, oh gosh, I'm so happy you're there!" My voice sounded awful and pathetic.

"What's wrong?" He was suddenly wide-awake he knew instinctively something was wrong.

"It's Riley. I can't tell you everything, but something happened… and now he's depressed.I'm really worried about him and he just doesn't want to talk to me. I don't know what to do, I feel so helpless., I confessed and hoped he wouldn't ask questions. "He doesn't want to talk." I repeated bitterly.

"Then don't talk." My dad suggested. Okay, it was late, but was this the only answer I would get? That was not what I wanted to hear.

"Dad, something _really _bad happened! He can't process everything. I want…advice from you on how to get him speak." I grew angry. I really needed advice. I hated not knowing what to do.

"Sure, son. I don't know what's going on….but you can't decide when the boy should talk. Ben, he's your best friend, your little brother. Just let him come to you, he always does. For the rest of the time, be there for him." He paused; I didn't want to answer, knowing he was right. "And please, do me a favor; don't get angry, if he doesn't want to talk." His voice was soft.

"Okay Dad, thanks. Love you, give mom a hug." I said sadly.

"Love you, too Ben, say hello to the kiddo and make sure that you give him a big hug too." I heard the smile in his voice and hung up.

After that I went to the guest room.

When I stood in front of the door to his room, my hand rested on the door-knob, I had to swallow and take a deep breath. How was I able to deal with a similar situation years before, when Riley found out that his father killed his mother?

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**FLASHBACK**

_**Ben's Perspective**_

"Hey kid, how're you doing?" I asked him. He was laying on his bed in our small room we shared and was staring on the wall. I sat down beside him on the edge of his bed. My heart broke, when he closed his eyes and grabbed my hand.

"Oh Ri!" I whispered and began to stroke his hair.

When I felt that he was sobbing under my hand, I slid down from the bed and kneeled in front of the recently 18-year-old turned boy, one hand on his head, the other between his hands.

How was his father able to do something like this to such a boy? I hated his father and it doesn't matter that he was in jail already, he had hurt my little friend and I wanted revenge.

"Why, Ben?" I had to swallow at the hurt and sadness in his voice. _Why?_

"I don't know." I answered honestly and pulled his head to my chest. I stroked his hair and decided to give Riley a break from the whole treasure hunting thing.

**END FLASHBACK**

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And we took our break, unfortunately not keeping in touch with our friends. I often wondered whether Ian would have followed 'questionable legality' if we had stayed in touch. Nearly twelve years later and I didn't hear anything from him, until we continued our search for the Charlotte.

……………………….

Riley hadn't turned the lights on, so I couldn't see him in the dim light from outside. I didn't turn the lights on either. After a moment, my eyes adapted to the light, so I could see Riley's figure. He was sitting curled up on his bed, his chin on his knees, looking at the wall. He trembled, but he wasn't crying.

I sat down next to him, not saying or doing anything, just being there. I didn't know what to do, so I simply waited. I watched him for a few minutes, it seemed like hours.

Suddenly he began to cry silently, his face as a painful mask. He was holding his breath, trying to suppress the sobs and took several shuddering breaths. I couldn't stand to see him like this. I couldn't just sit there. I laid my arm around his shoulder.

He was trying to ignore me, but soon he laid his head on my shoulder, sobbing like a little child. I shifted a little, so I could hug him with both arms, still remaining silent.

"Sorry…. Ben… I…" He whispered against my shoulder, between sobs.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." I hugged him even tighter and laid my cheek on his head.

"It's not fair!" He wept, clenching his fists around my shirt.

"I know." I had to control myself, to not start crying too. Or shout. It was so unfair. I felt so helpless. I couldn't rescue my little brother from the pain.

"Everything is going to be okay." I didn't know if the crying boy on my chest heard me. If he was listening, did he believe my words? I wasn't sure if I did.

After a while, the crying stopped and Riley let go of my shirt. I figured he was finally asleep. Now I could concentrate on my emotions. When I tried to sort them, I felt the anger and grief. What Riley was feeling was probably a hundred times worse. I was hurting so badly for him and I felt tears streaming down my own cheeks. Crap, I wanted to be strong for Riley. I blinked a few times and started to rock him back and forth, hugging Riley tight.

Suddenly I could hear a noise from out of the room. I tensed and stopped rocking, listening carefully.

There was the noise again. My heart stopped for a brief moment.

Somebody was in my house.

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Review?


	9. Don't die too early

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**Thanks to LoremIpsum, who corrected this quick. ****And also thanks to read the story until now… and hopefully further….**

_**daisyduke80**__**, **_Thanks for reviewing again. Read to find it out :D I'm glad you liked it.

_**marinawings**__**, **_Aww… I love your reviews… thanks so much.

_**Golden-Heart**__**, **_Hey… welcome to my story :P :D I'm glad you liked it so far… Thanks for reviewing. It was great to hrear so nice words…

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**8. Chapter (Don't die too early)**

_**Normal Perspective**_

Ben caressed Riley's hair one last time, before laying his best friend down on a pillow. Ben stood up, but hesitated about what he should do. It was possible there was a crazy thief in the house.

He balled his hands into fists. Usually people would feel fear or would at least be worried, but not Benjamin Gates. He was more than angry. He was furious. It didn't matter to him that the burglar could be armed_. This_ burglar was interrupting the peace, and no one was allowed to hurt Riley. _No one. _

Ben took Riley's umbrella as a weapon, his blood boiling.

"Ben?" A male voice asked, and Ben knew exactly who it was. It came form the kitchen. Immediately, Ben dropped his weapon and followed the voice.

"What are you doing here?" Ben asked his own father, annoyed.

Patrick crossed the room to his son and took his face in his hands, carefully inspecting Ben. "You don't look so good…. I was walking around your house. Where were you…. and where is Riley?"

"We were in his room. Dad. Why did you break into my house? Can you imagine how you'd feel, if you heard a guy running around in your house in the middle of the night?" Ben snapped at his father, pushing his hands away.

"How did you get in? You suck at using technology and you aren't able to turn off the alarm system." Ben wondered.

"No, I'm not, but the alarm on back door is turned off all the time." Patrick answered matter of factly.

"It's _what?_" Ben paused, shaking his head. "Riley's right… we need a dog!"

"That wouldn't be a really good idea, Riley's allergic." Ben's father stated, looking at his son.

"Then we would buy a hairless dog!" Ben snapped, taking Riley's favorite juice out of the fridge.

"Speaking of… how is he?" Patrick fetched three glasses out of the shelves.

"Asleep." Ben answered shortly, dragging two of the three drinks out of the kitchen, followed by Patrick who carried the third one.

Back in Riley's room, Ben sat down next to Riley again, who was still sleeping, He put a hand on Riley's shoulder, while Patrick sat down on a chair. "You want to tell me what happened?" He asked his son, a mild gaze on Riley.

"I can't," Ben answered, stroking Riley's back and yawned.

"When was the last time you slept, Ben?" Patrick asked his son with fatherly concern in his voice.

"I don't know, I haven't kept track after he got the letter… we drove to New York, did our stuff and drove back. I have no idea how much time it took." It was an awkward feeling for Ben Gates not having everything under control.

"You… were in New York?" Ben's father asked, eyes widening.

"Several hours ago." Ben answered like everybody drove around like this.

"Take a nap!" Patrick nodded to the door. Immediately Ben shook his head.

"I'll keep both eyes on him. Ben, you're getting ill… please sleep." Patrick pleaded.

"I can't sleep, I'm not even tired." Ben assured, but a deep yawn betrayed him, while he made himself a little comfortable, snuggling closer up to his best friend. He leaned lightly on him to give Riley well-needed reassurance. He closed his eyes.

"Ben, at least try to sleep for a couple of…." Patrick shook his head "…minutes…. I guess I'm boring enough to talk somebody to sleep." he added and smiled sadly. This was obviously a hard day for both of his 'sons'. He was dying to know what was going on.

……………….

"Riley." Patrick whispered and crossed the room from the chair to the bed. "How are you?" Riley looked at him and then up to Ben, who was still sitting next to him, bent in his direction. He would probably be stiff when he woke up from that awkward position.

Then Riley sat up and leaned against Ben and the wall heavily.

"What are you doing here?" It was the first full sentence Riley had spoken in many hours. His voice was rough because of that fact, and the crying.

"Looking after you two." Patrick answered honestly, handing Riley the drinkhe and his son brought him hours ago. Gratefully Riley took a sip and nodded.

"What's going on?" Patrick looked into Riley's bloodshot, tired and sad eyes. "Ben hasn't told me." The older Gates added.

"Hmmm" Riley hesitated. Lie or tell the truth? Tell everything or just something? "Patrick… not now, I will tell you everything, or Ben will… but I just can't talk about it right now." Riley gave in, tears once again in his eyes.

"It's okay. Just tell me what I can do for you." Patrick sat down on the edge the bed and placed a hand on Riley's knee.

"Just…" Riley had his head on Ben's shoulder and his gaze on the wall, avoiding Patrick's look. "… don't die too early."

He knew that he couldn't cope with the death of the father, who wasn't his biological, but he preferred him to any other fathers. He wasn't even able to cope with loosing his real father. _The_ father, the one he was supposed to hate.

Patrick watched Riley, patting the boy's knee, wanting to help him through this and wondered what was going on. "I don't intend to die soon, son. I still have to renovate my living room, remember?" Patrick hoped for a smile, but just received a trembling breath.

"Hey… kiddo." Patrick said sadly, taking the hand of the boy, stroking it lightly.

"Everything alright?" Croaked Ben, who had heard the voices. He cracked his eyes open and looked at the dead weight which was resting on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" He whispered to Riley's hair.

Riley didn't say anything; he just did something between a shrug, a nod and a head-shake.

"You are supposed to be asleep." Ben whispered and made Riley more comfortable with a pillow.

"You both are supposed to be sleeping right now." Patrick sounded desperate.

"I can't sleep." Riley whispered in Ben's shoulder.

"Boys, you two are scaring me. _What happened?_" Patrick looked at the two men in front of him.

"Dad…" Ben started, but was interrupted by Riley.

"Tell him." He whispered.

"Riley?" Ben asked, surprised.

"He has a right to know." Riley's voice was calm.

"You sure?" Ben asked and looked at the top of Riley's head.

"Pretty sure." Riley answered with a hint of a smile in his voice.

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**Just Patrick…. Should I be sorry? I promise… action will happen.**

**Okay… review, please.**


	10. We miss you

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**Ohaaaa,… guys… I'm amazed… so many reviews.**** Thanks.**

_**marinawings**__**, **_Thanks again for your review. I'm glad you liked the chapter and thanks for pointing out the things which you liked.

_**Golden-Heart**__**, **_Yeah… I love this relationship between Riley and Ben, too. Thanks so much for the review. Glad you liked it.

_**nawndawn**___:D Waiting is over… Thanks for your lovely review.

_**SN=love**__**, **_Thanks for the review. I'm happy you like the story.

_**Superotter**_, I promise action will happen… I really, really promise, like I said before… I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for reviewing.

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**9. Chapter (We miss you.)**

_**Ben's Perspective**_

After I finished with the story, there was a long silence, only interrupted by Riley's irregular breathing. For the entire story I had an arm around him, now I was squeezing him gently.

"Why haven't you told me this for the past 16 years?" My dad snapped. Why did he do something like that? Riley tensed under my arm; I guess he was scared Patrick would be actually mad at him.

"_Dad!_" I scolded, and was happy to see that his face immediately softened. He sighed and ran a hand over his face. For the past sixteen years my dad had often asked about Riley's past. He never asked Riley, only me, because he didn't want to confront Riley about his past in the orphanage. But I never gave an answer.

"Sorry." My dad apologized quietly taking Riley's hand again in his. "I'm just so upset when I see you like this." He added in a soft voice. Riley looked up with a frightened look on his face.

"Not at you!" My old man assured Ri with a sad chuckle. "I just wish that you two could trust me. You _two_ are my sons and I_ need_ you to trust me." It sounded like a plead. I looked at my dad and felt Riley lift his head a little bit, so that he had a better view of my dad too.

"I trust you." Riley mumbled, the tiredness was obvious in his voice.

"Sleep." I ordered kindly and was surprised when he actually nodded.

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"Bye dad!" I gave him a goodbye-hug. The sun already rose and my dad wanted to get home before my mother woke up. "And thanks for being there."

"Let him sleep." Dad nodded in the guest-room's direction and I nodded.

I watched my dad drive off, before I went to the mailbox. In there was a letter.

Addressed to Riley! In _my _mailbox? I wondered whether I should wake him up or not. I had a bad feeling in my stomach. Again, the letter had no sender on it. There was no address or stamp. On the envelope there was only Riley's surname.

If I just could open it.

'_No_, I'm not allowed to open it.' I struggled with myself. My heart was beating faster than normal and my hands were sweating. Riley was asleep and he would never find out.

_He would never find out._

I turned the envelope over, again and again. I was trembling and I hardly registered anything around me, only the letter.

I winced when I heard the telephone. Dropping the envelope, I took a deep breath.

I cleared my throat, running a hand through my hair. "Ben Gates."

"Oh darling! It's so good to hear your voice." A happy voice of a woman greeted.

"_Abi!_" I cheered. "How are you?" Now, hearing her lovely voice I realized how much I truly missed her.. Ugh, I was a bad boyfriend, In the whole ordeal with Riley, I forgot to call her. .

"Fine. Where were you yesterday? I called several times," complained Abi.

"I'm sorry, we were… bowling." _Bowling?_ Aha… that was new.

"Bowling?" My own girlfriend didn't believe me, not that she had a reason to. "Riley swore never to go bowling again. Why did he change his mind?"

That was actually true. Last time we went bowling a ball accidentally fell on his feet. His feet was broken and he had to walk with crutches. This was shortly after we found the Templar Treasure and a couple of weeks before Abi and I broke up. I thought that his immobility was the reason why he wrote his book.

I visited him every day when he couldn't walk. Abi hated me during this time, because we barely saw each other in those days. Either I was with Riley or at work. She had hoped this would be just as long Riley was handicapped, but then he was healthy again and had no time for me, because he was promoting his book.

When Riley was away, Abi thought our relationship would go back to normal. But it didn't. Eventually it was too much for her, she has had enough of our fighting and she hated the fact that I wasn't there anymore, so she threw me out.

"Earth to Ben, is somebody there?" Abi asked anxious.

"Sorry, honey. I was thinking." I confessed.

"Bowling, Ben? Are you sure everything is alright?" Either I really couldn't bluff or her female intuition sensed something was wrong.

"Yeah, why not?" I answered effusively.

"BEN! Is anything wrong?" Ugh, not good, now she was worried and mad.

"No!" I insisted. "Abi, how is your godchild?" I asked to get off the subject.

"Healthy and very cute. I'm really happy to be here, I missed all my relatives. But you two are too far away. I miss you already… it hasn't even been a week."

"We miss you too, more than you could imagine." I confessed in a small, sad voice.

"Ben, something isn't right. Please tell me." I heard the concern in her voice. "Let me talk to Riley!" She ordered.

"Asleep." I told her.

"Is he all right?" Abi was hysterical already. "Ben if something isn't okay, I require that you tell me this instant!"

"Nothing's wrong! It's not even would be wrong if he was awake this early." I tried a small joke, but it didn't convince Abi.

"You don't want to tell me…" It sounded like a simple fact, she wasn't mad or anything. "Ben, I have to hang up, we're going to visit the zoo."

"I have something to do also." My gaze landed on the envelope, laying on the floor.

"Okay. I'll call soon. Say hello to Riley for me." I swallowed, I didn't think that I would do that.

"I will. I'm looking forward to hearing your voice again, I love you so much, my treasure." I whispered.

"I love you, too. I miss you, especially your kisses." I heard the smile.

I hung up and for a moment I was just standing there, breathing heavily.

Then I picked up the letter again and insisted to myself to open it. Riley would tell me what's in there anyway, so it wasn't cheating or lying or betraying.

"Hey Ben…" I jerked and hid the envelope behind my back. "What is that?"

"Riley!" I yelped. "You're awake! How are you?"

"What is this?" He asked again nodding to my hand I was hiding behind my back. "What are you hiding?"

"Me? Hiding? Don't be…" One look at his innocent face sufficed, I couldn't lie to him about this. "Here, that's for you."

He took the letter and looked at it. Fortunately I was immediately at his side as his legs gave in. I sat him down on the sofa.

"Please, Ben, can you open it?" He asked me shakily.

I took the letter again, biting my lip. "Yeah, I'm sorry, that I wanted to open it without you." He just nodded, and it seemed like he understood. I gave him a small hug and patted his back.

Then I opened the letter, my hands trembling. Riley had his eyes closed and calmly waited.

"Should I read it out loud?" I asked. He nodded.

When I finally held the paper in my hand I looked one last time at Riley, who was hugging his legs to his chest very tightly and had his gaze on the floor.

"It doesn't matter, what the letter says. We'll get through it together." I assured and slid a little closer to him.

Then I took the letter and started to read.

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**Whooo…. Not good…**

**How did you liked it? Review Please…**


	11. NOT a nobody

**Hey guys I'm sorry for the delay… but I've been in England (****again) and so I couldn't post my next chapter.**

_**Golden-Heart **_Yeah… I guess that the story finally really REALLY starts. Thanks for the review.

_**ShadowWolfDagger**__**, **_Thanks for the review.

_**nawndawn**__**, **_:D thanks for the review. I'm sorry.

_**marinawings**_, :D lol… The master of cliffhangers? :D: Yeah… I kinda like that… thanks :D Also thank you very very much for your review.

_**Allie357**___Thanks for reviewing. Glad you like it.

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**10. Chapter (NOT a nobody.)**

_**Ben's Perspective**_

**Hello Poole**

**I was bored standing outside your apartment, waiting for you to receive my last letter. So I thought I would send it directly to your friend's house. I hope that's okay. **

**I guess you're on your way to New York already.**

**I hope you believe me and are able to see that I'm not joking.**

**I want the treasure map.**

**Call the number on the bottom of the page and I will give you instructions.**

**Call soon. I hate waiting. **

I stopped reading, and looked at Riley. He was pale, I was scared he would faint. "Riley?" I asked anxiously. He stared at the empty envelope.

"There's… no… address," he stammered between hysterical breaths. "That means he was here." He was holding his stomach like he was going to be sick.

"Riley…" but he jumped up and stormed into his room. I balled my fists and pressed them against my closed eyes, holding in a shout that struggled to break free.

'_Give him some time to think about it,' _a voice in my head said. I wasn't really surprised that it sounded like my dad.

But since when did I listen to my father? I stood up and followed my best friend.

I didn't knock; he wouldn't open the door or ask me to come in anyway. Riley was not, like I thought, on his bed. He was on the wardrobe and threw all his clothes out in his suitcase, which lay on his bed.

"Riley? What exactly do you think you are doing?" I went to him and tried to turn him around. But he pushed me away with his elbow, catching me in the arm.

"Ouch." I stammered, though it hadn't hurt, but the movement was not Riley-like. "Riley" Now I had my dangerous-authority tone in my voice, it always worked.

He stopped throwing things to his suitcase, but didn't turn around. He supported himself on the shelf boards, trembling.

"What are you doing?" I asked again.

"Packing." He answered. His voice was higher than normal.

"Why?" I asked patiently.

"I'm packing, because the guy knows where I am. He killed my father, who hadn't anything to do with me. What do you think he will do with somebody I call my best friend?" His voice was unusually mature and surprisingly calm. "I don't want to risk your health, _your life_, so I'm going."

"You won't!" Finally I was able to turn him around. On his cheeks were several tear streams. "You're staying!" I shook him lightly, wanting him to know how serious I was. "_I won't let you go_." He looked so distraught, I resisted the urge to just hug him right then and there.

"Ben! Please be sensible." He wound himself out of my grip and sat down on the bed. I placed myself in front of him. "_Please!_" He pleaded, hiding his face in his hands.

I didn't answer, guessing he knew what I would say. I just stood beside him and rubbed his shoulder.

"Can we just call him?" I winced when I heard his voice. He had stopped trembling under my hand. I was surprised at the question.

"You really want to call him?" I asked.

"Sure." He shrugged and looked up to me. "I want it to stop."

"Okay. Let's call this guy." I offered him my hand and helped him to his feet.

………………

In the living room we sat down on our sofa. I had a hand on Riley's back, and in the other I held the letter. Riley was crossing his arm in front of his chest and stared at the telephone. "Take as much time as you need." I whispered.

"I'm ready, I guess." He took the mouthpiece in his hand and dialed. I switched on the loudspeaker and watched Riley, while we were listening to the ringing on the other end.

"Riley! I guess that's you." An evil, male voice greeted, sending shivers down my spin.

"Who are you?" Riley asked, looking at me helplessly.

I knew the voice. I've heard it before. And I didn't connect anything good with it.

"You will find out soon enough. But first I want to know where the treasure map is."

_That voice!_

Riley locked eyes with me. I knew that we both had the same questions on our mind. 'Who was this?' And 'Which treasure map.'

"Hello, I'm Ben Gates. Do you mind telling me which map you mean?" I asked in a sharp voice.

"I was really surprised that you're still friends with this nobody, Mr. Gates. But it's kind of to my advantage."

"He is NOT a 'nobody'." My voice grew sharper every moment.

"Never mind." The man on the other end was annoyed. "Treasure map! Forgotten?"

"Which treasure map?" Riley had the smallest voice of us. He sounded so scared and I hated it.

"Don't act stupid. You know exactly witch treasure map." The man snapped. Riley winced and a tear slipped out of one of his eyes. Oh gosh, this boy was talking to the murderer of his father.

"I'm sorry, but we've found both treasures, both the Templar Treasure and the City of Gold. We don't need anymore maps. They would be pretty useless." I jumped up angrily, pacing around.

"You… really have no clue?" The man asked. "But you mentioned the treasure in your book."

"I mentioned several treasures in my book." Riley didn't do a great job to control his voice. "But they are just conspiracy theories, we have no clues about the treasures." He tried to explain desperately.

"Fine! We will meet, today, 5pm at the Lincoln Memorial parking lot without the police." He ordered. "If you don't show up or if you bring the police, I will think about a fair punishment." Without waiting for a replay he hung up.

_Punishment_! I had a strong feeling I've heard the word from him already; it seemed like a déjà-vu. It seemed so long ago.

Riley hung up and pressed his nails into his palms. "I don't want to meet him. It would become reality." He didn't have to explain further. The man who was causing so much pain to him, he would have to accept all this.

"We don't have to go." I said, sitting down beside him, and uncurled his clenched fists.

"We have to.I want to know who it is, what he is talking about and why he killed my father. I think I at least owe that to my mother." He whispered, looking into my eyes, his blue eyes full of pain.

"Okay. We'll make it through." I ruffled his hair and stood up. "So let's eat something. I'm starving." I hauled him up and walked to the kitchen with him.

After I had prepared some food, Riley just poked at his meal. I watched him sadly.

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**Review?**


	12. I liked the story

**Hey guys… I feel like a broken record, but heyy… finally the ****action begins…**

**Uhm… If you haven't read my story There and Back… you would probably don't understand this chapter… okay… well… I'm exaggerating… you would just have to read the chapters about Riley's Past…**

**Anyway… enjoy and review please.**

_**Golden-Heart, **_Wow… uhm… thanks :D that's so nice… Okay… sorry for the delay… I hope you haven't lost your mind and are still hooked up with me… :D .. Okay… well I wouldn't say that Ben and Riley are _safe_.

_**Superotter**__**, **_Thanks so much… I really appreciate hearing something like that.

_**marinawings**__**, **_Thanks for reviewing. Well… yeah I love Ben in this big-brother-mode. :D And he's gonna have some reasons to be in the mode… hint hint.

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**11. Chapter (I liked the ****story?)**

_**Ben's Perspective**_

Riley was sitting beside me. I was behind the wheel and drummed a rhythm on it. I was just as nervous as he was. Riley was hugging himself, to hide the trembling of his hands, I guessed.

"Riley, we should really call the police. We could have informed Sadusky." I tried to convince him.

He shook his head. "It's way too dangerous. Something could happen to you. I don't want to risk it." I shook my head to myself. _How would I react?_

As we got closer to the meeting point, the more frightened he became. Anything could happen.

After I parked the car we exchanged looks. I tried to transmit some power through my gaze, but any reassurance on his face vanished when he saw a very old silver car in empty parking lot. "Ben, the license plate is from New York." He was breathing so heavily that I was scared he would faint.

_The voice on the phone_. Finally, I knew whose it was.

"Ben! It's Mr. Grass." Riley stammered at the same moment I realized.

"I know." I hissed and got out of the car. I went to passenger side and opened the door for Riley, sending a death glare at the silver car. Riley got out also, but I felt frightened stare.

We walked to the other car; I made sure to be a bit in front of Riley, only to be prepared.

"Ah, Riley, you grew up." An old man with grey hair and shabby clothes came up to us with a bright smile on his face. I stretched an arm out in front of Riley, as if I would shield him from this devil. "And Mr. Gates, you've aged immensely."

"Same to you." I responded dryly.

"Nice." He faked a laugh and then looked at Riley. "So… hand over the treasure map. Now." He ordered.

"I don't have one." I looked at Riley, he was facing the ground. In all these years his fear of this man didn't vanish. I took again a step closer to him and immediately his hand was clenched around my T-shirt.

"You've mentioned the treasure in your book." The old man shouted. I felt Riley wince.

"Are you stupid or do you just act like it? How often do have we to tell you? WE DON'T HAVE ANY TREASURE MAPS." I shouted back, my blood was boiling and I felt only hate for this jerk.

"But you should have received it after you turned eighteen." Mr. Grass mused.

"What should he have received?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"The map. Is it so hard to understand?" He gave me a hostile glare.

"Why should he have a map?" I clenched my fists, not wanting a stupid answer again.

"It was part of his mothers' last will." He told us, like it was obvious. I felt the Riley's grip on my shirt tighten, and when I glanced at him he was looking into Mr. Grass' face.

"What do you know about my mom?" Riley sounded disgusted yet curious at the same time.

"More than you." Mr. Grass laughed joylessly. "I knew the whole time that she was killed by your father. I know about her past."

"About her past?" I locked eyes with Riley for a brief moment. There were so many questions in his bright blue eyes. He never found out anything about his parents life, especially not about his mother.

"Yes, her past. Why didn't you receive her will?" Mr. Grass' eyes wandered from Riley, to me, and back. "You're not bluffing, are you? You really have no idea about the will." Was this guy deaf? He infuriated me. I nodded, annoyed, and so did Riley.

"She wanted you to have her property, and the most valuable thing she owned, was a treasure map. I have been informed about the will. I had no other reasons to take you in at my orphanage." He gave Riley a scathing look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked irritated.

"That means, dearest Mr. Gates, that if a boy is dying under my care, I am allowed to get his possessions. Most of the kids don't have anything special, because they are from poor families. But this one," He pointed at Riley, who was trembling under my hand I had on his shoulder, "Knows something about the great Nefertiti."

"The Egypt queen?" I asked and faked a dry laugh. This guy was insane.

"You don't even know that?." Mr. Grass shook his head. "I thought you did, it was in his book."

"I wrote about Area 51!." Riley countered desperately. But he shut up and took a step back, when his old attendant moved toward him. Now he was standing right in front of us.

"Do you know, _why _you wrote about her in your book? All the other subjects in your book are only about American treasures." Mr. Grass asked sharply.

"I liked the story?!" Riley made a try.

"Okay, here's simple question" Mr. Grass acted like he was talking to a young child. "When did you hear about it the first time?"

Riley thought about it. "I…I don't know… oh my gosh." His legs buckled, but I held him up. I recognized the hypnotized look on his face.

"Riley?" I asked gently, trying to direct his attention on the situation again.

"Bill told me about it, the janitor, in the orphanage when I was young." He looked at me.

"When I recognized that you were a silly known-all, I asked him to tell you about it," Mr. Grass sneered, "To get you interested in the story, in the hopes that if you don't die in the orphanage, you could at least help me find the treasure after you had received the map. Then Mr. Gates came along and I saw a great chance that you can find the treasure and I could just _take _it from you a couple of years later."

"And why are you here now? I turned eighteen over sixteen years ago. Have you forgotten about the treasure and the will, until? Amnesia, right? My condolences." Riley snapped and faked pity in his trembling voice.

"You still don't have any respect," Mr. Grass snarled. In a move that was too quick, Mr. Grass suddenly gave Riley a hard slap in his face. I shoved the old man away and stood in front of a heavily gasping boy, who was holding his cheek.

"Don't touch him again." I hissed, placing a hand on Riley's shoulder.

"That wasn't my problem, but I didn't know where you lived. Then I saw you on the news, and your book and I read it." Mr. Grass told him, ignoring me.

"But…" Now I sounded desperate. "Nefertiti's tomb has already been discovered."

"Haven't you read his book?" The attendant laughed cruelly.

Riley, who was standing behind me, hit his forehead against my shoulder, leaving his head in that position. I heard him groan loudly. That was the only answer Mr. Grass needed.

"It wasn't her tomb, it was the tomb of her sister, or daughter, I don't know. What was it, Riley?" He seemed to get pleasure out of Riley's mood.

"Sister." Riley answered into the fabric of my shirt.

"Whatever." Mr. Grass laughed again. "The treasure that's in Nefertiti's tomb is much bigger than any treasure."

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**Woho... Reviews please =)**


	13. If there is a map

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_**marinawings**__**,**_ Hey… thanks for adding me in facebook… and also thanks for the review.

_**Superotter**__**, **_Yeah I would love to know what's happened in Riley's past… thanks for reviewing

_**Allie357**__**, **_Thanks for your review.

_**Golden-Heart**__**, **_Hey special thanks to you… for reviewing two times… I'm a sucker for long reviews… but THAT was adorable and so cute!…. Thanks so much. I'm really grateful.

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**12. Chapter (If there is a map?)**

_Riley's Perspective_

I stood there with my aching head against Ben's shoulder, not believing what was going on. Everything felt so incredibly wrong. There was no way that I was a _relative_ of an Egyptian pharaoh, or that I had a map to her tomb. Ben's family were the ones involved with treasure hunting,_ not mine._

I stood there in front of the man who claimed all of this. The man who killed my father. _I was so near to him_. It was the worst thing.

And he hit me again, on the same spot as years before. I hated that I was terrified of him. He knew how to scare me, and it hurt still like mad.

"So, I would suggest that we visit your house and look for the last will of your mother." Mr. Grass said. I jerked away when somebody placed his hand on my shoulder, trying to lead me to the car, but it was only Ben. He looked at my old attendant irritably.

"Do you really think I would invite you into my house?" Ben asked Mr. Grass.

"I didn't have to ask you." It was unbelievable. He degraded me for years in the orphanage. Now he's killed my father and hiding my mother's history and her will from me. And he's talking to my best friend, like he was nothing.

I stood there for a brief moment, wheezing and blinking angry tears away, while Mr. Grass got into _Ben's_ car on the passenger side. "What's he doing?" I asked Ben. My voice was pretty pathetic.

Ben shook his head and turned to me. He lifted his hand and touched my cheek. "Does it hurt?" He whispered, taking a closer look at my red cheek.

"I don't want to be with him." I pleaded, ignoring his question, but didn't flinch away.

When he spoke, he was still trying to cool my cheek down with his cold hand, not looking in my eyes. "Let's get it over with. I don't want to risk something and the faster we give him what he wants, the faster we can call Sadusky." Then he locked eyes with me and added, "Try not to annoy him or give him any reasons to hit you again or he'll give me a reason to kill him."

"Get in the car." Mr. Grass ordered sharply, after he opened his window. Ben got in behind the wheel and I got in the back.

"It would be worth considering." I murmured under my breath. I really wouldn't mind somebody killing Mr. Grass at the moment.

In the car I sat behind Ben and curled up.

"So…" Mr. Grass began. "You'd do well if you don't try any games." He smiled and suddenly had a gun in his hand.

"Ben!" I shouted anxiously. I hated bad guys with guns.

"You don't need to do this." I only saw Bens back of the head, but I could imagine his glare. His voice sounded dangerous, but calm.

"I just wanted to inform you," Mr. Grass said. "What do you think we'll do first? How should we get the treasure map?"

"Over the will? You just told us! Do you have some sort of dementia?" Damn, I couldn't shut my big mouth. He shot me an angry look. Then he smiled evilly. _What was his problem?_

I let out a cry when he took his gun and hit Ben in the elbow with it. Ben let out a sharp, painful breath, unconsciously stepping on the brake. Thankfully there were no other cars on the road.

I leaned forward and looked at Ben's face. It had become a painful mask and his eyes were squeezed shut. "Why did you do that?!" I shouted at the attendant, receiving a further slap in my face, once again in the same spot. My head snapped back and I felt even more pain in my sore cheek. _Ouch! _I couldn't say anything, because immediately Mr. Grass was shouting at me, "Stop acting out like this you brat, if you want your body guard to stay alive."

He pointed the gun at Ben, who didn't even wince. He just glared at Mr. Grass. "Sit down again." Mr. Grass told me and when I did, crossing my arms in front of my chest, he spoke to Ben. "I don't want to risk dying in an accident, because the driver is now handicapped. Get in the back. I'm driving."

Ben rolled his eyes and got out of the van, getting in the back, still holding his arm. Oh gosh, it had to hurt.

When the car drove further I faced the window, trying to forget Bens face, after he was hit with the gun.

"Ri." Ben touched my shoulder. I did him the favor of looking at him. I knew he was trying to read my expression.

"I'm so sorry. Does it hurt?" I asked through gritted teeth and nodded to his arm, trying not to let my emotions get the best of me.

"It's bearable. And don't be sorry, you didn't do this." In his voice I heard that Ben was worried and that he wasn't okay. Mr. Grass had just proved that he was serious about this. Ben tried to lay his hand on my cheek, but I pushed him away. He just got hit because of me.

"Do you remember, I asked a question." Mr. Grass reported. "How will you find the will?"

"I'll just hack into the state documents and then we'll know what's standing in the will. Maybe it describes where I find the map. If there is a map." I had managed to talk without any emotions in my voice, although I felt like I would shatter at any moment.

Ben didn't believe my calm voice, so he rubbed my back.

"You are really that good with computers? I thought you were lying in your book." My hated attendant laughed cruelly. I bit my lip, so I wouldn't answer, fearing that he would hurt Ben again. He went on, "But good, that saves us from some…unpleasant situations."

…………….

I was sitting in front of my laptop, Ben on one side, Mr. Grass on the other.

"I have it!" I told the two others and pointed at the screen.

Wow, I didn't think I would get information about my mother this way. Ben seemed to read my thoughts because he immediately had his arm around my shoulder. I didn't mind, though it didn't help.

"Keep going, I don't have all day." Mr. Grass ordered and gestured intensely with his arms.

"Okay. There's nothing about a map." Suddenly I felt like I was going to be sick. What would happen, if the treasure didn't exist? I had an awful feeling that Mr. Grass wasn't the type of guy who would just leave us alone and apologize for taking up our time.

"There." Ben gripped my arm, which was on the mouse. I stopped scrolling down further. He gave me a brief glance, pure concern in his eyes.

"Here stands" Ben searched for the beginning of the paragraph and then began to read out loud: "At last I will inform you about something that nobody but your father and I know. In the appendix I will give a save-deposit box code and the name of the bank. After this is a map to Nefertiti's Tomb. This relict is in our family since it was been created. So think about it, you have only two options. The first one is that you leave it where it is and give it to your kid. I did this, just like my father did. Or you can choose the second option, which means that you, my son, will take the map and try to find the treasure. I believe in you. But I hope you don't get my last will to early. Lot's of love, your mother."

I felt hot tears in my eyes. My mother sounded like how I imaged a _mom_. Ben, who had read the text without straight through, moved a little closer to me, laid his arms around my shoulder, turning me a around a little bit, so he could pull my head against his shoulder and pat my back.

"She wrote that she believed in me." I cried into his chest.

"Oh, that's nearly heart-warming." Mr. Grass sneered at and hit me twice in the arm. For an observer it might seem like he was trying to calm me down, but it really hurt. I jerked away from the blows and out of Bens hug.

"What is your problem?" Ben shouted and jumped out of his seat and so did Mr. Grass.

I let out a small cry, as the two men were stood there, only a few steps away from each other. Both of them were nearly the same height. Mr. Grass was a little bit taller. And though he was about fifty years old, he had a trained body. I never saw Ben fighting with someone and I had got a million aching blows from my attendant.

The arm was enough, I didn't want to get Ben hurt more.

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**Review****?**


	14. Sorry

Hey guys I'm soo sorry… but I won't be able to update for a long time… =(

My laptop…the love of my life died today… and hell… I'm depressed… nah… not yet… I'm like under shock right now…

Anyway… I hope you won't forget me… =(

In lovely memory.

On my beloved baby (laptop) I'll never forget you! :(


	15. Getting the Box

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**Okay… I'm sorry fort he long delay… **

**I hope you're still with me… **

**Thanks to everybody who reviewed.**

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**13. Chapter (Getting the Box.)**

_**Riley's Perspective**_

"Ben!" I pleaded, trying to get his attention. He clenched his fists and it looked like he was going to hit Mr. Grass.

"Shut up, Poole!" Mr. Grass shouted. _I hated that sentence. _"I think your hero wants to say something." He held Ben's gaze.

In the moment he stopped talking, he punched Ben's bad arm.

"Stop!" I screamed desperately, standing up. But Ben had already struck back, punching Mr. Grass on his shoulder, but missing the older man's jaw.

"_Stop!_" I raised my voice even louder than before, the last thing I needed was Ben fighting with a person, who had already threatened to kill him. So I stood in the middle pushing the two men apart. Fortunately, this time I was lucky.

Both stopped, glaring at each other, while I was still in the middle, successfully blinking angry tears back.

"I suggest we visit the bank." Mr. Grass hissed, holding the shoulder where Ben had hit him.

"Fine!" Ben replied with a death glare. I just nodded, I really wanted to get over with all this.

"Thanks Ben." I murmured at Ben, when we followed Mr. Grass to the car. "How can I repay you for all this? I feel so guilty." I confessed.

"I owed you, didn't I?" I gave him a questioning look, not knowing what he was talking about. Then he looked at me, his face calm and soft again and answered my unasked question: "You got a nice punch in your face, when Mitch had hit me in the cave, and now this it was my turn, so don't apologize." He gave me a one-arm hug, still smiling, I nodded, not really convinced.

"Are you okay?" His smile has vanished, when we both heard the engine of Ben's van.

"Circumstances." I thought he should get an honest answer. "You know, I just found out something about my mother. I would love to know her, she sounds so… motherly. I don't know, how to describe it." Ben just nodded and squeezed my shoulder, not saying anything.

……………..

Ben and I were in the backseat again. I felt so tired on the way to the bank, rather exhausted. I had closed my eyes, happy that Ben was next to me. He had a calming aura about him, at least always for me, just having him here made things a whole thing easier.

Fortunately the one who had chosen the bank, had taken the only bank on this coast which offered permanent lockers in Washington DC.

"We're at the bank. For your own sake, don't try any stupid tricks." Mr. Grass told us, parking in front of the bank, and pointed at the gun under his shirt.

After we got out of the car, I realized that it was dusk. I waited for Ben to reach me before I went to the building, between Ben and Mr. Grass.

In the bank we asked for somebody who was managing the lockers. So we soon found ourselves in a small room, without decoration.

Ben had taken the seat between my old attendant and me, which I really appreciated.

"Riley, don't sleep now." Ben's soft voice made me jump a little. I looked at him, he examined my face, trying to read my mind. "You look awful. You have to eat something." He told me like a doctor.

"I told him that he looked awful over fifteen years." Mr. Grass laughed and I heard Ben let out a sharp breath. But he wasn't able to comment on the insult my old attendant have just given, because the door opened and a young, red-haired woman with some papers came in.

"Hello, I'm Mrs. Green. Can I help you?" She asked, smiling.

"Well, yeah, I've got a code and a number for a locker." I swallowed. Actually I didn't really want to get what was in there.

"All right. May I please get the number and the code?" She asked politely. Ben, who had the will, gave it to her.

"23. Okay, I will get the box." She left.

"If you are keep talking like this to Riley, I _will_ make your life miserable." Ben hissed to Mr. Grass, both a death glare on their faces.

"I wasn't talking to him, but about him. And you won't make _my_ life miserable, you know, I am the one with the gun." He smiled an evil smile before turning around to the door, just then when Mrs. Green came back.

"It's funny, this box was here for the longest time." It sounded silly to hear somebody be happy, when the world was so unbelievably wrong at the moment. It was hard to understand, that her life was normal. It was inconceivable.

She put down a box on the table in front of us. "So do you need further help?"

"No, thank you." Ben answered instead of me, noticing that my full attention was on the box in front of me.

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_**Ben's Perspective**_

"Okay, than please sign here." She held a document in front of Riley, who signed it without reading. Something he would get scolded from me under any other circumstances.

"Well, bye." The woman shook hands with each of us and we left the room. My blood boiled, because Mr. Grass was carrying the box.

In the car, Riley and I were in the back and Mr. Grass and the box were in the front. _Yeah_, this senile, despicable old man had given the box it's own seat and had it had a seatbelt around it. I watched him with disgust: "You know, maybe in some countries it might be legal to marry it." I spat at him.

"You have good luck, that Riley is so dependent on you. If he would help me without you, you were death by now. So you better shut up, because soon you will be more than worthless." He looked at me in the mirror.

"Ben, please, stop insulting him. Do me the favor. I'm scared that something could happen to you." Riley whispered into my ear, earning a slap.

"Stop whispering, that's impolite." Mr. Grass scolded his hand back on the wheel. "If you have something to say, say it loud!" He ordered.

Riley shot Mr. Grass a look, touching his cheek and snorted. "I just said that you're the biggest, stupidest…" Riley began, but he shut up and squeezed his eyes closed, when Mr. Grass again raised his hand, but this time I was faster. I caught his hand and hit the back of his seat shouting: "I mean it. _Don't touch him again!_"

I let go of his arm and waited for a reply, but I didn't get one.

"Why are you doing this?" Riley asked, rubbing his cheek, which was rather pink. He looked angry at me. "I just asked you to stop, you aren't helping Ben."

"What?" I asked totally taken aback about his reaction. Would he rather get another slap?

"Just let it go, it's bad enough that you're here." He murmured, his eyes on the window.

Because I didn't know how to reply I just shook my head and crossed my arms in front of my chest.

_What a day._

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	16. Promis it

_**daisyduke80**__**, **_thanks for your review…

_**Golden-Heart, **_Wow…. Thank you so much… I'm sorry fort he delay.

_**marinawings**__**, **_Glad you liked it… thanks for the review.

:D I was surprised that still somebody is reading my story… thank you so much

Also a huge Thanks to LoremIpsum, who corrected so quickly…

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**14. Chapter (Promise it!)**

Ben's Perspective

"So the box is locked and we have no key?" Mr. Grass asked.

Riley was sitting on a chair, his head in his hands, pale like a ghost. I had prepared food for him, but he refused to eat anything. I stood behind him, a hand on his back, watching Mr. Grass who was pacing around.

When we tried to open the box we found out that there was unfortunately no key.

"THAT'S CAN'T BE TRUE!" Mr. Grass kicked the chair, so hard, that one of the legs broke. Immediately Riley was on his feet, wide-awake again, and stepped behind me, so I was between the two of them. He had to know the temper of his old attendant.

He was staring in shock the devil from his past.

"Do you have any ideas, where the key could be?" I asked, now facing him, a hand on his shoulder.

"No…" his gaze lingered on the box, seeming to not really be there and thinking hard about something. Then he looked at me, after a long pause and continued: "We need to go to my apartment."

"Why?" The jerk on the other side of the room asked impatiently with an annoyed look at Riley.

"I think I know where the key could be." Riley bit his lip and looked at the ground: "But I'm not sure."

"Then let's go to your apartment, boy." Mr. Grass tried to get a hold at Riley's arm, when he passed. But the 'boy' jerked away, a frightened look on his face. So Mr. Grass went to the car, followed be Riley and me.

………………..

In Riley's apartment, Riley and I were in the small attic, which belonged to him. He was kneeling in front of a chest and rummaged through it, searching for something.

Our companion didn't join us in the attic so he waited in Riley's living room, of course with the box the map was in. _Freak!_

"What are you searching for?" I asked, looking over his shoulder to get a better view over his old stuff. I saw an old Teddy, which had only one eye and one ear, it made me smile that he had kept it. Riley was just touching as much as necessary, as if everything was made out of glass. I guessed he hadn't seen these things since he moved out of the orphanage.

After a while he found a sack with old baby clothes. "I thought I still had these." Riley whispered and I shook my head, while kneeling down beside him. It scared me how he behaved; he was in some kind of trance.

"Kid." I took his hands in one hand and his chin in the other, forcing him to look at me and stopped him from searching.

"Ben, we have to hurry, what do you want? Please let go of my hands," he pleaded and tried to get his arms free, after he managed to get his head out of my grip.

"No. Talk to me first. You're behaving… oddly." This was an understatement.

"Mmhmm, Ben, how am I supposed to behave? I've never been in a situation like this." His voice and his face were calm, but his eyes showed his pain.

"Not like this… You're so… emotionless, Riley, since he hit you." I touched his cheek, which was still pretty pink, but had to wince when I stretched out my sore arm.

"Ben, I…" But his voice broke and he squeezed his eyes shut. "He have threatened to kill you… _He has no problems with killing you._"

_This was his worst problem?_

"Hey, buddy, listen to me and listen carefully!" Again I took his chin in my hand making him look at me. "_I am fine and we will get out of this perfectly fine._" I stressed my sentence.

"Hope so." He answered and after I let go of his hands and his chin, he started to rummage again.

"There!" Riley suddenly breathed and held up a pair of old Converses.

"Shoes?" I asked not believing it, but they were cute though, they were not much longer than my fingers, a pirate mascot on them.

"Chucks!" He corrected. "Look at this." Riley told me, sitting down next to me on a big box. Unbelievable that Riley had remembered this all this years. On the shoelace of the left shoe was a little key. "That was one of the things I got from my mother. Bill always saved the gift to the youngest kid…otherwise Mr. Grass would throw it away if he found it. And when the kids were old enough to decide what they wanted keep, he gave it to them. He told me to keep the stuff from my mom, to have some memories."

I looked at Riley who was running his fingers over the little key.

"I guess she planned to keep the Chucks herself, so I would understand the clue when I was searching the treasure."

"And you did." I said and ruffled his head.

"Yeah, hopefully fits." Riley freed the key and laid the Chucks in the chest again. "Let's try it out!" He added, standing up and left the room, not looking back at his things. I did, remembering Riley's ruined childhood, and cursing Mr. Grass for it.

Downstairs the jerk looked at us expectantly. "Have you found something?" He asked impatiently. He smiled greedily when Riley showed the key to him. "Nice." He stated. He snatched the key from Riley.

"No! Give it back." Riley shouted, trying to get the key, though I had to hold him back, knowing what might happen.

Nevertheless I felt my heart sunk, when Mr. Grass slapped him so hard, that Riley fell to the ground, hiding his face.

"I'm going to open it." Mr. Grass sat down again, while I kneeled beside Riley, hands on his back, glaring at Mr. Grass.

"Riley, look at me." I ordered, ignoring the fact that Mr. Grass was working at the little box, trying to get Riley's hand from his face. I bet that his face was hurting like hell in the meantime and when I finally saw his cheek I swallowed hard. On his left cheek right under his eye was a bleeding slash.

"No, Ben, please." He pleaded when he realized that I was trying to stand up, fists balled. He had his hand around my wrist, so I couldn't stand up. I looked at him and at first I wanted nothing more than to beat the crap out of his torturer, but when I saw his concern, I took a deep breath and unclenched my fists.

"Promise it! You won't get hurt for me." Riley begged again, when he didn't receive an answer.

"I can't promise it." I said truthfully.

"Please Ben!" He was touching his cheek, wincing when he saw the blood on his hand. "Promise!"

I helped Ri stand up, handing him a tissue for the blood and murmured: "I promise."

We sat down beside Mr. Grass, who was still trying to get the box open, but he didn't achieve.

"May I try it?" Riley asked, avoiding the eyes of Mr. Grass but looking at his hands.

"You weakling won't get it open, if I didn't get it." Mr. Grass laughed and made me feel sick.

"Sometimes brain mass beats muscle mass." I stated and took the box from him without another word, earning a furious glare.

"I know this kind of lock." Riley said.

After some seconds the box was open. I gave Mr. Grass, who was fuming, a gloating look, proud of Riley.

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	17. Ta Set Neferu

Hey guys.. it's been a hell of a long time!

I'm so sorry for the delay... I've been sooooo busy with Supernatural stories and school stuff.

That chapter is not corrected... so all mistakes are mine :)

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**15. ****Chapter (**_**Ta Set Neferu)**_

_**Ben's Perspective.**_

"What's in it?" Mr. Grass asked, gripping the box from Ri, who didn't even try to argue.

I rolled my eyes and balled my fists, but I have made a promise… _I have made a promise_.

Mr. Grass had an expectant smile on his face, holding an antique document in his hands. My mom and Abi would have went crazy by this sight, thought it wasn't the original it was at least three hundred years old. Somebody had to have searched for it before, and when this person didn't find it, he had obviously copied the original.

Mr. Grass again frightened Riley and me with jumping up and throwing the paper on the desk. "It's not English." He complained.

"What have you expected? Do you really think they spoke English in Egypt?" I laughed joyless, getting a pleading look from Riley to stop.

Before Mr. Grass could strike back, Riley raised his voice. "I can translate it."

"You can't read hieroglyphs." Now it was Mr. Grass turn to laugh.

"Ha." I pointed at Mr. Grass. "Don't underestimate him. He is able to do it. It seems like you don't know, what's going on in your little orphanage, when you didn't even know what the computers were used for."

OUCH!

"I don't putting up with these comments very well." He assured me, while I was still feeling his hand on my cheek. I was too taken aback to strike back. Riley on my side has his eyes squeezed shut, clenching his lips together and balling his fists.

"So, if you are really so super-smart, Mr. Pool, than try to translate it." Mr. Grass handed Ri the paper with a strict voice.

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_**Riley's Perspective**_

He had slapped Ben, hard, right into his face. I guessed, the arm did hurt more, but a slap in the face was so humiliating and nobody was allowed to humiliate Ben. It was a different thing when he did hit me, he did it in the past and I was used to it.

And Ben had promised not to get hurt for me. He didn't not keep it.

"Riley." I felt Ben's hand on my back and his voice was fuller concern. "Look at this." Ben asked in a kind tone.

So I did. I took the document and tried to read it. I knew nearly all of the signs.

"This reads: _Ta Set Neferu._" I begun, but was interrupted by an annoyed Mr. Grass:

"I suggest that you translate it, because we don't understand anything." His voice was so dangerously.

Not wanting to risk another slap, I translated to my cheeks shake: "The place of the beauty. Do not search for the obvious, but find the inner glorious. Try to find the back, but keep attention, the circle has no beginning." _Okay… odd._

"That doesn't make sense! Are you sure that's the translation?" Mr. Grass looked at the paper.

"I'm sure!" I assured, but didn't get a sense though.

"_The place of beauty_." Ben repeated and looked at me.

"Isn't that the synonym to The valley of the queens?" I asked Ben, looking into his eyes.

"Queens? It's 'The valley of kings'!" Mr. Grass corrected me.

"No, there is also a 'Valley of the queens'." Ben snapped. "And yes, it is the synonym, good Ri." Usually to be praised like this from Ben was filling me with pride. But this time I just ignored it.

"So we have to go to Egypt?" I massaged my temples; slowly it was really too much for me.

"Seems like it." Ben confessed.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go to the airport." Mr. Grass yanked me to my feet, pressing my arm hard, so I couldn't get free.

"Let go of me!" I ordered weakly, not wanting to be dragged by him, I hate this closeness, my breath stopped. Immediately Ben was on our side and freed my arm, pushing Mr. Grass back and me behind him. "Don't touch him." Ben snapped. A part of me was thankful the other part wanted Ben to stay away from everything. He shouldn't be here; he shouldn't have to deal with this kind of danger.

…

I leaned heavily against the backseat, concentrating not to fall asleep; gosh I have never felt this pooped. I struggled with my eyelids, which fell shut, again and again.

Ben seemed to feel my exhausting, because he bent over to me and whispered: "Hey, buddy, sleep! I keep an eye on you!"

"That's exactly why I don't want to sleep." I murmured, rubbing my tired eyes.

"I won't get hurt." Ben chuckled and laid a hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off and glared at the back of the front seat, Mr. Grass sat behind the wheel.

"Are you mad at me?" Ben asked stunned.

"You promised." I stated. He would perfectly understand what I mean.

"Yes, but…" He begun, but I interrupted him

"No but! Ben! He called you worthless, he had nearly broken your elbow and he had slapped you! He is dangerously. He would kill you." I looked at him furiously.

"Riley, stop being pigheaded like this. We are in it together and we will get out of it together. Regardless how much I have to take for you. You have taken so much more for me." Though he was the one who was able to make be feel guilty, Ben had a sense for soothing the guilt I felt.

…

"You want to reserve the whole first class?" A nice looking worker asked us, with an unbelieving tone. "Are you really serious?"

"Yes, we're serious." Wow, Mr. Grass is really able to be polite, that was something I have never seen in my whole life.

"But it's only the three of you?" Was this lady deaf? This lasted way to long. I really needed to sit down.

"We really want to book the whole first class and we are only three men." Mr. Grass faked a smile.

"No baggage?" _Hurry, please!_ I really feared that she would think we would flee from the police or something like that.

"Yes." Slowly Mr. Grass was loosing his nice façade.

"Okay, who wants to pay?" The woman shrugged, frowning and tipped something with the keyboard.

"Mr. Gates, I guess." Mr. Grass smiled a mean smile to my best friend and pushed him forward to the woman.

_Wow, _Ben was swaying in front of me. Stop! Everything was dancing around me. This was definite not the time for a party.

I saw Ben talking to the cashier. And handed her something.

_Oh please stop going around in circles, you make me feel dizzy!_

"Let's go to the gate." I heard a muffled voice, I couldn't say who it was, because a nasty noise was so loud, right in to my ear.

Ouch, there was a stinging pain in my knee, and I felt something hard against my hands.

Someone lifted my chin, I felt not much, but it was definite Ben.

The last thing I felt was that Ben had a gentle grip around my waist and cradled me to his chest.

Than everything went black, but with Ben I was save.

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Reviews please :)  
Next chapter sooner.


	18. Life used to be easier

_I am so sorry. I totally forgot about this story._

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**16. Chapter (Life was so much easier.)**

**_Ben's Perspective_**

"Riley! Riley, please wake up, wake up, buddy." I pleaded, patting the boy's cheek, he went to the floor, after I had paid the tickets. The cashier was already by our side, like a few others, Mr. Grass waited in a little distance.

"Shall I bring something to drink?" The woman asked.

"Perhaps a wet cloth." I looked up to her and failed miserably when I tried to fake a smile. The woman immediately went away to get that what I asked for.

"Ben, I think we have to go to the gate, when we want to catch our flight." Mr. Grass said with an unnatural smile in my direction, not wanting to get in a bad light from everybody.

I looked down at Riley. "Sorry, boy." I apologized and scooped him in my arms. I guessed it was important to listen to the guy with the gun.

_Gun._ How does he want to get through the control? This was impossible. That was our chance. He would be aimless at the gate.

….

Riley was deposited on one of these uncomfortable chairs, in a separate room in the airport, where the woman had led us in. He was still out, while Mr. Grass was pacing around, annoyed that we had to wait in this office. _Yeah, right_, it would be better, to be at the gate for nearly two hours.

I was kneeling in front of Riley, a hand on his cheek and the other hand clenched around one of his. "Hey, kid, please wake up."

"Oh this is unbelievable." Mr. Grass shouted.

"_Don't even think about it!_" I hissed, now on my feet, shielding Riley from Mr. Grass who had lifted his arm over his head, attempting to hit Riley.

I roughly pushed him back and wondered what he would have done, if nobody had come in, right at this moment.

"First aid." A man stated and kneeled in front of Riley. "He doesn't look so good." The man felt Riley's pulse. I watched the scene and gulped when the doctor pulled two things out off his bag, one thing, what looked like a too big mobile phone and a second thing that looked like a pencil. Than he lifted Riley's hand and opened the pencil.

"Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! What are you doing?" I stopped the doctor and looked at the needle which peeked out of the not-really-pencil.

"I want to measure his blood sugar." The doctor looked at me.

"Ugh." I really don't want somebody to sting Riley. But the doctor went on and took a bit blood on a little paper stripe, which was in this 'handy'.

"Like I thought, he has a really low blood sugar value." The doctor stated and gripped something out of his back, what was definite glucose. Okay, it was necessary, but the poor boy hated glucose. He _detested _it, but though the man fed him the sugar.

"Can we flight today?" Mr. Grass asked, with genuine concern in his voice.

"Yeah, he will be perfectly fine in a couple of minutes, though I guess he will have a nice headache." The doc smiled.

"Okay, thanks." I shook hands with him and he left.

"Do you want to stay here till he wakes up again?" A worker asked with a nod to Ri.

"Can we go to the gate now?" Mr. Grass asked. He had something on his mind, though I had no idea what.

"Of course you can! Do you need help with him?" The man asked.

"No, we will make it." Mr. Grass answered and laid a hand on Riley's shoulder. This brotherly way made me just as angry as the slaps he delivered. He had absolutely no right to fake a friendship in front of these strangers.

"I'll take him!" I insisted and again I scooped him in my arms. Last time I dragged him like this, we were on our trip. _Crap_! Life was so much easier back than.

…..

At the control I went through it at first, before going back to pick Riley up, who was already shifting and moaning. Mr. Grass went through the other control, which was next to ours. He made it without any problems. _Perfect._ The gun wasn't with us anymore.

I dragged Riley to a chair in the near of the big windows and sat down next to him, after I bought two sandwiches and two bottles of water. He shifted again.

"Riley?" I asked and shook him a little.

"Ben?" he croaked, his voice calm. He lifted his hand against his head and pressed it against his forehead.

"How do you feel, buddy?" I asked and recognized that the concern in my voice was too obviously.

"Like I feel when Abi is driving." _Okay_, he feels good enough to make fun about Abi, but he didn't feel so good.

"Well, eat this." I ordered and handed him one of the sandwiches. Mr. Grass sat on a chair in the near of us, watching us annoyed.

"Not hungry." Riley pushed my hand away.

"Right!" I nodded and laid the food right in his hand. "You just fainted because you didn't eat, by the way, when was the last time you ate?" Stupid question, I knew exactly when he ate the last time. I really should have seen that all this stress and the starve would take revenge on Riley.

"Don't know." He looked at the sandwich in his hands with disgust.

"Okay, bad enough, you will eat and drink right now." I opened a bottle for him.

He gave me a mad look, but I held his gaze, all authority I could afford in my eyes.

"Satisfied?" He bit from the sandwich, looking angry.

"Eat up! Then I'm gonna be satisfied." I smiled at him and stood up.

"Where are you going?" A frightened and a suspecting voice asked in unison. Riley looked up to me with wide opened bright blue eyes. He looked so tired.

"Toilet!" I answered and lifted my hands in a defensive manner. "Is this allowed, Mr. Grass?" The better question would be whether Riley would stay alive for this time.

"Don't take so long!" Mr. Grass murmured.

…

Well… I had to hurry if I wanted to make that, what I wanted, but how to make this?

"Can someone please borrow me a mobile phone?" I stood there, in the middle of the men-toilette; I really have to give an awkward picture. "I would pay for it?!" I added, when nobody was offering his phone.

"How much?" A man in a tuxedo asked.

"40 Dollars?" I suggested. It was a part of the money, I got back when I paid for our flight tickets.

"50 Dollars?" The man asked smiling.

"Yeah, 50 Dollars." I answered through gritted teeth.

"Okay." He handed me the phone and gripped greedy for the dollar bills. Yeah, right corruption of the humans.

Should I really call the police? I would have to tell the story, I hadn't this much time and I feared that something could happen to Riley, if I would get caught. He was alone with Mr. Grass.

Sadusky would be my second choice, but I didn't have his number.

_Crap._ He was really the last person I wanted to call.

But I dialed.

"Hello, this is the answering machine from Patrick Gates." My dad's voice greeted.

"Hey dad, pay attention. We have found the one who wrote the letter and we are at the airport with him… do you understand? We are flying to the 'valley of the beauty.' It's really a pity that Peter can't join us." I hung up, in the hope that my dad would get the message soon.

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**_Riley's Perspective_**

"You know, your wrinkles will only become incredibly deeper when you go own frowning like this." I said to my old attendant, without any emotions in my calm voice.

"You better shut up, if you won't get hurt." He answered as dryly.

"You won't hit me in public, you never did." I stated, getting an annoyed look from him.

"But we won't be in public for the rest of the day." He stood up and sat down again on the chair beside me and pattered my knee, what made me jerk back a little. "Yes, it's always the same with you. Talking big, but nothing behind it."

In this moment Ben came back. He smiled at me and when he finally reached us, he hauled Mr. Grass to his feet and sat down on this seat: "That was my seat!" Ben explained simply while Mr. Grass sat down at the other side of Ben, balling his fists. _Great_ Ben!

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"Sleep!" Ben ordered kindly.

"No." I answered for the millionth time, okay for the third time, but though Ben really got on my nerves.

Ben and I sat in a row in the middle of the first class of the plane; I was on the seat at the window, looking at the street. The plane hasn't started yet. In circa five minutes we would start and than we would have an eternity of flying.

"Riley!" Ben moaned desperate: "How do I get you to sleep?"

"As soon we are in the air?" I asked, well knowing that by then, the fight would start again, because I wouldn't sleep, but for this time, I had rest. "I wouldn't get any sleep though because of this flight assistant."

Mr. Grass had got comfortable in a seat behind us, reading a magazine.

"Promise?" Ben asked hopefully.

"No." I didn't want to break a promise or lie to Ben, so I just didn't promise it.

"I thought something like that." He shook his head, frowning. Than his face softened, right in that moment when the plane begun to move forwards. "But you're okay, are you, boy?"

"Yeah, I'm…." I paused. I've never had to be brave in front of Ben. I bite my lip and my gaze landed on my hands: "I'm scared."

"You trust me? Don't you?" He asked me and searched my eyes, a hand on my shoulder.

"Of course I do." I replied, without thinking about it, I trusted him.

"Then trust me, that we will come out of this perfectly fine. Everything will be okay. And, hey, we will find a treasure." Ben tried to brighten my mood.

"Yeah, I think we are rich enough, we don't need a further treasure." I answered. "And it wouldn't be my turn to tell how much percent we will get."

"I think we can make an exception, I mean this is something like your family treasure, so you can decide." Ben chuckled.

"Mr. Grass will have problems with it." I tried to smile, but failed. Can someone forget how to smile?

"Don't think so much about everything. You make yourself crazy! Leave the worrying to me, it doesn't fit you."

I turned away from Ben and had a nasty, slack feeling in my stomach when the plane lifted in the air, I didn't mind flying itself, but I hated the start and the landing, because of this feeling.

The smaller becoming nightlife of Washington looked so beautiful and except of the 'flight assistant' who was on the TV in front of us, it was silent in the first class. I didn't know that the safety precautions weren't from real persons anymore.

After the screen went black again and we were nearly in our altitude, I heard a movement from behind Ben and me. After that Mr. Grass went to the seats in front of us, while I followed him with my eyes. He sat down in front of me and turned around a little, so he could face us. "Any ideas, what the clues can mean?" He asked, looking through the two seats.

"Yeah" I begun, getting the attention of both older men. Mr. Grass looked expectant, while Ben warned me with his glance not to annoy him, but all my fear turned slowly into pure hate. He had made my childhood to a living hell, he had killed my father, he had threatened Ben and me and now he was making us travel around the whole world. My list grew every minute. So I continued: "A thought hit me one minute ago, perhaps we should fly to Egypt." "Riley!" Ben interrupted, but I didn't stop: "And another thought, it's silly but it could be possibly that 'The place of beauty' could be a synonym for 'The valley of the queens.'"

"Finished?" Mr. Grass looked at me with through cracked eyes, his voice was dangerously. And I felt Ben prepare himself for shielding me.

Than something happened what I haven't expected, Mr. Grass hit Ben right on his nose with balled fists, neither Ben had expected this, because he wasn't able to shield himself.

"Ben." I felt hot tears in my eyes, when I leaned over to him and tried to get his hands down from his face. "Let me see, pleaaa… ouch!" I turned around, after Mr. Grass had hit the back of my head.

"Stop hitting him!" Ben sniffed and pressed his thumb and his forefinger against his nostrils to stop the blood which was dripping out of them. _Ugh._ I couldn't dare looking at him. This was my fault.

After a few moments of staring at each other Mr. Grass said. Stressing his words: "Listen to me you two! Stop going on my nerves. Show a little more respect."

"Respect to you? Why should _anybody_ respect you?" _Oh shit, why was I so pathetic?_ My voice sounded so utterly small, but at least it was calm. I stood between the two rows, in front of my seat. Than I added, gesticulating hard with my arms: "You humiliate kids every day, you have murdered someone. People can't respect you! They just can fear you! To be perfectly honest, you are the most disrespectful…"

"Shut the hell up!" Mr. Grass shouted and suddenly he had his gun in his hands, pointing at Ben. I knew he wouldn't shoot, but it was scaring though. Again I let me fall in my seat, breathing heavily, watching the gun.

I felt Mr. Grass gaze on me, when he spoke: "This guy" He made a movement with his gun in Ben's direction, who was cleaning his face with a tissue, ignoring the gun. "Seems to have spoiled you incorrigible, he wasn't a good educator to you. Nothing shows any effects on you. But perhaps the fear of me shooting your great idol could shut your impudent mouth! Your friend is worthless, I don't need him, so I have no problems to shoot him and believe me, I'm thinking about it." Now I looked at Ben, who was staring at Mr. Grass furiously. "Are we clear?" My old attendant asked, grapping my arm hard, like on the last evening in the orphanage.

"Yes." I gulped dejected, after I have struggled my arm free, looking at my hands, feeling so unbelievable helpless.

**_Ben's Perspective_**

I didn't know whether he meant everything he had said. Would he really kill me? He told me that he was thinking about it. This was a scary feeling, to hear that your life was depended on the mood of a psycho.

Yeah, this would definite bother most people.

And this time, I wasn't an exception, I was really scared to death, but I had to be strong for Riley. He was scared enough for us two. So I had to hide my feelings for Riley's sake.

The poor boy seemed to think about the same. He was balling his fists and it was obviously that he was fighting with tears; he looked really on the edge of complete breakdown. "Riley." I whispered and took his hands in mine. He swallowed and closed his eyes. "Don't worry." I whispered further not wanting to wake Mr. Grass up, who was snoring in front of us.

"Don't worry?" Now his eyes were opened and he looked at me, like I was crazy. "Ben, everything is so out of control. We shouldn't be here. Ben, _you_ shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have let you go with me, I should deal with it alone! It's my business!" Again a tear escaped his eye.

"Riley, please don't be stupid, do you really think I would have want you to deal with it alone? I would have joined you even if I had known what would happen." I assured him, trying to calm him down with stroking his arm.

"Please try to sleep, you look like a ghost." I ordered and took my jacket around him, trying to make him comfortable and warmer.

"Oh god." He whimpered and surprised me with laying his forehead against my shoulder. I only heard a few words he was whispering and I really whished he hadn't said this: "I would miss you so much. I wouldn't know how to go on."

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_Do you want me to continue?_


	19. Irreplaceable

_Two chapters this time :)_

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**17. Chapter (Just so irreplaceable)**

**_Riley's Perspective_**

Three hours later we were still in the same position, I had my head on Ben's shoulder, looking out of the window, Ben was fast asleep, resting his head on mine, an arm around my shoulder. It was embarrassing, but it didn't matter, I really needed this kind of comfort.

Mr. Grass was snoring in front of us.

The night was clear, I could see cities on earth. Abi would have loved this, she was one of the persons, who loved flying.

This time I would prefer just staying in the air, being scared shitless.

Since we've been in the cave of Cibola, I often remembered the feeling of Ben staying back. But this lasted only a minute, now I felt like standing in front of a precipice and Mr. Grass was able to simply push me down.

All this thinking had potential to totally freak me out. _'I'm gonna lose it.'_ I thought sadly.

But hearing Ben's regular breath calmed me down a little. I've listened so carefully, like the following breath would be the last. I couldn't deal with this situation much longer.

"Are you _still_ awake?" Ben muffled, after I yawned. This guy was terrible. I hated it. No, I adored it, but right at the moment I couldn't imagine how to live without it.

"Can't sleep." I murmured, lifting my head and rested it against the wall of the plane, so I could look at him. He looked normal. How could he be so calm? Well… how could he pretend to be so calm?

"Try to sleep, please, I guess that I need you wide awake in Egypt." He pleaded. "You _really_ don't have to worry." I could tell that Ben wasn't sure of that, looking not straight into my eyes and biting his lip nervously.

"I wouldn't make promises." Mr. Grass looked to us, an evil smile on his face. I could have shouted. Ben remained calm, I knew he was doing me a favor.

Ben looked angrily at the man in front of us. I've never saw him this mad. Everybody else would have buried himself in a hole to escape this gaze, but not Mr. Grass, he looked back, emotionless. That was one thing I feared about Mr. Grass, he wasn't scared.

"How could you keep your gun?" Ben asked quietly. "How did you get through the control with it?"

"I'm a smart guy." Mr. Grass chuckled.

"Yeah, sure." _Oh Ben. Too much!_ This was the first time in my life,_ I_ didn't want Ben to annoy someone and not the other way round. "You went through this control like we did."

"Have you seen, where the attention of everybody was? Everybody was watching the poor boy, who fainted. Everybody's sympathetic gaze lingered on cute-little Riley-boy. Like always. I didn't know how to keep the gun before, but with him fainted it was no problem, nobody was really watching my bag. The perfect coincidence." Was this my stupid fate? Why did he have this kind of luck. And again it was my fault!

"I'm sorry." I whispered at Ben, looking at my hands.

"Not your fault." He told me, not really thinking about his words, glaring at my old attendant.

….

We didn't talk for some hours, when I made sure Mr. Grass was really asleep, I gently woke Ben up, really needed to talk about something, I was thinking about since the whole thing begun: "Ben."

"Everything okay?" He asked, looking worried through tired eyes.

"Do you think he killed my mother because of this treasure." I started.

"I won't lie. That's possible. In her last will was written, that he knew about it. Such treasures change people." He whispered, brushing a strand of my hair out of my forehead.

Again I prayed that nothing would happen to Ben. Missing him was a terrible understatement. He was too important to lose him.

"I can't understand it, I mean, didn't he love my mother... or me? Didn't he care? What man thinks a treasure is more worth than a human…" I looked at Ben.

Right now we were in a very similar situation; Mr. Grass would give our lives for this damned treasure. I swallowed down the emotions which were forming deep inside of me.

"I don't know why someone would do that. I see my parents, Abi and you and I can't imagine losing one of you for _anything_. You four are just so irreplaceable."

I looked again at the window, avoiding Ben's eyes. _Just so irreplaceable. _I felt sick in my stomach; I wouldn't be able to deal with losing one of them.

After a while Ben added much calmer and in a serious voice that sent shiver down my spin: "I would give my life for any of you."

"No, Ben." I felt like I was standing on an edge, about to fall. "Please don't say that."

To hear him say that scared me, though he had proven this in the city of gold. Ben gave me a glance, not defending his promise but not taking it back.

"I kind of miss Abi." I confessed after a long awkward pause. "But I'm happy she isn't here. At least she is save."

"I miss her, too. I miss her so incredible much. She is probably pretty scared, because we don't answer her calls." Ben told me, smiling at the thought. "I was thinking about to ask her to marry me." His smile grew wider. I forced a fake smile, hoping he would be able to ask her.

"We will arrive at Egypt in about two hours." Ben stated, trying to change my mind, seeming to read my thoughts again.

"Well, we have no idea what the clues mean." I responded.

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**18. Chapter  
**

**_Ben's Perspective_**

How could _anybody_ with a little baby kill its mother, his own wife, just a stupid treasure. A baby needs to be cared for and needs to feel loved. Had Riley's dad known that Riley would end up in an orphanage? He surly hasn't guessed that he would end up in jail and finally killed by the leader of the orphanage.

I looked at the kid... my surrogate brother, who was finally asleep, hugging my jacket, which he used as a blanket. He leaned against the back of his seat. I lifted my hand and started to caress his hair, swallowing tears down. He was so pale, dark bags under his eyes.

Unconsciously he gripped my hand and turned around, so that the top of his head was touching my upper arm. I smiled sadly, throwing my jacket, which had fallen to the ground, again on top of him, to make sure he wouldn't be cold. Then I also closed my eyes, not letting go of Riley's hand.

_He would be fine… _

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**_Ben's Perspective_**

"Kid, hey…I'm sorry, kid… you have to wake up." I gently ran my hand through his hair and whispered kindly. He cracked his eyes open and yawned, looking at me. "We're here." I answered his questioning look. He nodded and stood up without whining.

"So let's hurry. It's pretty hot already and I want to reach the desert before noon. We have to rent a car and buy a lot of water." He smiled at us.

"Why don't we just join another group to get to the valleys?" Riley asked unsure.

"Because, I don't want to be near other people. LOOK AT ME." Mr. Grass shouted, making Riley wince, when the old man gripped his chin, forcing him roughly to look at him: "Haven't I taught you behavior all this years?" Riley clenched his lips hard together, but holding the gaze.

After Mr. Grass let go of Riley, pushing him back into my opened arms, he took his hand baggage.

We left the plane and walked to a stand where cars were offered. We got a big green jeep and bought about ten liters of water, some food and a big tent with a heater and some blankets. Riley remained in silent, not leaving my side, all the time. He was trembling heavily.

I desperately tried to find any sights of Peter, Hendricks or any other agent. But I haven't seen any of them, yet. I was losing to hope.

….

"Phuu" I signed, it was so hot in this car, even with air conditioning. I felt the sweat run down my body, sitting on the backseat with Riley. Mr. Grass, who was driving the car, was sweating, too. We both were touching as less as possible. Only Riley was sitting in the corner of the car, hugging himself tight, trembling, like he was freezing. He looked ill.

I wished I could just take away his grief.

"Do you have the clues?" I asked Mr. Grass, glaring at him.

"Of course I have, what a stupid question. Have you two genius found out what this said clues mean?" He answered, an obvious sarcasm in his voice.

"No, not yet, but we are working on it." Riley replied with a whisper, this guy had really broken my best friend, he wasn't that little smarty anymore, he was without resistance, without his comments. He didn't seem like himself. I didn't like it, wanting my best friend back.

When I watched him carefully, I recognized that Riley's lips were twitching, like he murmured something. I leaned closer and gave him a questing look. When Riley saw me, looking at him carefully, especially on his mouth, he signed and whispered, after he made sure, Mr. Grass had his attention on driving: "_Do not search for the obvious, but find the inner glorious. Try to find the back, but keep attention, the circle has no beginning._ Ben, I don't... It doesn't make sense." He sounded so desperate.

I sat down straight again, repeating the words over and over in my head, thinking loud, not caring that Mr. Grass could hear me. "I think the beginning is simple." I started.

"I'm listening, enlighten me." Mr. Grass chuckled from the front.

"Do not search for the obvious, but find the _inner _glorious. The tomb is not the biggest and not beautiful, I think. But inside it is glorious." I continued: "But the problem is that in the valley of beauty every tomb is already found."

"That doesn't sound like a problem. This will make our work much easier. We won't have to spend time with searching for an unknown tomb, but we will be able to search in the one, which are already found." Mr. Grass responded stupidly.

"Yes, but every tomb had been inspected about ten times. And, yes, there wasn't the said tomb." Riley's voice was small.

Mr. Grass cursed under his breath and stepped harder on the accelerator.

_Wow_! The car jumped on the dunes, Riley and I exchanged worried looks. His old attendant would possibly kill us all when he drove on like this.

"Stop." I shrieked.

But too late, we collided with a high dune. I felt the car nearly double over. Instinctively I stretched out an arm to hold Riley in his seat.

"OUCH" I hissed loudly, when I hit my head on the front seat. Than I looked around. The interior of the jeep looked fine. But I was sure we couldn't drive on with this car. I hated this stupid bastard in front of us.

"Are you okay?" I asked Riley who looked completely shocked, holding his left arm, breathing heavily.

"_Crap._" Mr. Grass hit the wheel, pushing his door open. "Out off the car." He ordered at us.

Obviously we weren't fast enough for Mr. Grass, because he pulled Riley's door open and the scared boy out of it. Riley yelped when Mr. Grass was touching the arm he was holding.

"Don't be such a cry-baby! You aren't hurt badly." Mr. Grass snapped at the kid and slapped him across his face.

I got out, making my way to the other two, stepping between them, pushing Riley gently behind me. Riley was shaking his head in my direction, holding his cheek, his other arm in an awkward position.

"Ben, you promised." Riley cried out, when he saw that I took a step to his old attendant.

I hesitated. I have made a promise. I _really_ have made a promise.

NO.

_I have made TWO promises._ And the promise to protect my little brother was more important than the promise, which said I shouldn't get hurt because of him.

So I took another step.

"You don't have to harm him because of your own stupidity. He wasn't the one who was driving like an idiot. You were the one, so don't dare you to lay a hand on him." I shouted, pushing him roughly back, wanting to hurt him.

Mr. Grass just smiled at me and whispered dangerously: "You will regret this. I promise." Wow, this let run shivers down my skin. I wasn't used to that kind of… fear? _Was I that scared?_

Mr. Grass turned to Ri, speaking with a mean voice: "Get some of the water bottles and a tent. We'll walk." Riley nodded and filled a big bag with many bottles as possible, the food, the pullovers, fighting with tears, while I shouldered the tent with the heater and the blankets.

"Give the bag to me." I ordered kindly, when Riley had filled it. But I just earned a wounded look, while he shouldered the rucksack and followed Mr. Grass.

"Hey, Ri." I laid a hand on his shoulder, taken aback.

"Don't you get it? He will hurt you! Ben, you promised not to get in trouble…" He paused and looked at me, shrugging my hand off and blinked tears away: "…in further trouble. I mean without me you wouldn't be in this kind of situation."

"How often do I have to tell you? It's okay, I'm gonna make it." I assured him, not really believing myself.

"It's not okay." He whispered toneless, running his hands over his face, wincing when he touched his cheek.

"Give me the backpack." I ordered and took it from him.

"Ben, I just don't want to lose you. I nearly lost you one time; I don't want this to repeat." Riley confessed after a little while, when we had some distance between Mr. Grass, who went forward in the direction where the valley was supposed to be. He looked awful.

Not wanting to make any promises I couldn't keep, I just laid an arm around his shoulder, not talking.

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